In this episode, we look back on what the past season of Scoot Closer has stirred up for us: the women’s health headlines that left us angry and the ones that gave us hope. We also chat with our former guests about how women’s health issues were talked about in their families growing up.

The answers were candid, emotional, and revealing. Together, they paint a picture of the kitchen-table conversations many of us never had, and the ones we still need.

This episode is an invitation to pull up a chair and imagine what’s possible when women’s health is no longer whispered, but shared.

Every year, 1 in 10 babies in the U.S. are born too soon, and at least 50% of preterm births happen without any early indicators or warning. But what if we could predict preterm labor earlier and more accurately?

In this episode, we sit down with Zhenya Lindgardt, CEO of Sera, a company developing an early diagnostic test that can identify risk for preterm labor at a better rate than traditional solutions, and perhaps change the story for millions of moms and babies.

Nerd out with us and learn about pregnancy proteins, clinical trials, and the long road to making new discoveries.

Imagine going into labor and realizing the nearest delivery ward is over an hour away. For millions of women, that’s not a nightmare, it’s reality. These regions, known as maternity care deserts, are spreading, leaving moms and babies without the care they deserve.

In this episode, we explore why these deserts exist, who suffers most, and how cuts in Medicaid funding are making matters worse. Then, we turn to Dr. Amanda Williams, who is at the forefront of efforts to make pregnancy and childbirth safer and more equitable across the U.S.

Because safe delivery shouldn’t depend on your zip code.