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. 2021 Nov;28(11):3282-3284.
doi: 10.1007/s43032-021-00567-6. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

#SayHerName: Should Obstetrics and Gynecology Reckon with the Legacy of JM Sims?

Monica Christmas  1
Affiliations

#SayHerName: Should Obstetrics and Gynecology Reckon with the Legacy of JM Sims?

Monica Christmas. Reprod Sci. 2021 Nov.

Abstract

Dr. James Marion Sims has been heralded as the "father of modern gynecology" for his groundbreaking surgical technique to repair post-partum vesicovaginal fistulas (VVF); however, the ethical concerns around his inhumane practices and the contributions of the enslaved women he refined his technique on are rarely recognized. Acknowledging the personal sacrifice of the enslaved women and addressing the truth behind the immoral practices of Sims, encourages reconciliation of the race-based medical atrocities of the past and sets the tone for moral, more equitable medical care moving forward.

Keywords: Anarcha and Lucy; Betsey; Father of Modern Gynecology; JM Sims; Sims speculum; Vesicovaginal fistula.

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References

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