For Women's History Month, we explore the often-overlooked issue of women's reproductive health. Despite societal progress, just 2% of medical research funding addresses this crucial area, revealing a significant gap requiring urgent attention.

Since the Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling nearly two years ago, the Supreme Court revoked reproductive freedom, a protected right. While Chicago and Illinois have enacted progressive policies, challenges like access barriers and high maternal-child mortality persist.

In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Kai Tao, a leading public health advocate in women's reproductive health. As co-founder of ICAN! and a certified nurse midwife, Dr. Tao brings extensive clinical and leadership experience. Together, we explore contraception access, pregnancy, and infertility treatments, fostering a comprehensive understanding of this vital topic.

Kai Tao, ND, MPH, CNM, Co-Founder and Principal, Impact and Innovation, ICAN! (Illinois Contraceptive Access Now) Bio: Dr. Kai Tao has extensive experience in women’s health programs and clinical operations, opening a birth center for underserved women in Arizona and leading a midwifery group at Erie Family Health Center.  For the last 18 years, she has been on faculty with Northwestern School of Medicine, working clinically per diem at Prentice Women’s Hospital. Kai also served as VP of Clinical Operations and Associate Medical Director for Planned Parenthood of Illinois, where she oversaw 17 health centers, the Quality Assurance Department, Community Education, and started male services including vasectomies. In 2013, she was a Senior Policy Advisor to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) Director. Kai is the co-author of the Illinois Family Planning Action Plan – a multi-pronged approach to advance contraceptive equity with the goal of supporting all people to get the care they need to decide if, when, and under what circumstances to be pregnant. She co-founded ICAN! in 2021 to support accessing high-quality birth control without financial barriers. She also served as the Deputy Commissioner and Chief Program Officer for the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH). Kai received her Master of Science and Doctorate of Nursing from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and her Master of Public Health from Harvard School of Public Health.

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