Inside a mobile OB/GYN clinic

In this powerful episode of Fresh Air, host Tanya Mosley interviews Dr. Mary Fariba Afsari, a board-certified OBGYN and author of the memoir 'Labor: One Woman's Work.' Afsari recounts her journey from a traditional medical practice to founding one of the nation's first mobile gynecology clinics—a 31-foot RV she converted into a compassionate, patient-centered medical space. Her decision was driven by a deep awareness of systemic inequities in reproductive healthcare, especially after the Dobbs decision, and a personal history shaped by her Iranian immigrant parents and a grandmother who died attempting an illegal abortion in Iran. The mobile clinic serves underserved communities, including undocumented families and survivors of trauma, offering care that is both medically precise and culturally sensitive. Afsari reflects on the emotional toll of medicine, the limits of physician agency, and the moral imperative to provide life-saving reproductive care. She shares poignant stories of patients like a teenage girl with a congenital anomaly and a young mother named Amelia whose pregnancy defied understanding, illustrating the complex realities behind reproductive decisions. The episode also touches on broader systemic failures, including the politicization of abortion, the suppression of maternal mortality data, and the profound burnout facing healthcare providers—especially women. Despite these challenges, Afsari finds healing and purpose in her work, emphasizing that true care requires listening, empathy, and a commitment to human dignity beyond slogans or politics.