Abstract

Stella first thought about doing her senior thesis on reproductive health care the summer before her senior year. After the Supreme Court ruled to overturn the long-standing Roe v. Wade decision, she realized how detrimental the lack of abortion access in the United States would be. Thus, Stella invested months of research into what reproductive health care was like prior to Roe v. Wade, the everchanging state laws surrounding abortion access, and how an overturn could lead to patients reverting to unsafe practices once again. She did not want to create a facility that would focus solely on abortions, rather, she wanted to establish a comprehensive center that offered care for patients at any stage in their reproductive health to show that, regardless of their decisions, patients would be supported and protected. What differentiates her project, Fern Reproductive Health, is the addition of on-site therapy and legal services and short-term residential suites for patients who are traveling from out of state for care. It was important to Stella to reduce the stigma surrounding abortions by inviting the community to participate in classes and attend educational presentations or fundraisers. Patient privacy, supportive designs, and physical building security were her top priorities. By incorporating various design theories and solutions to foster healing and a sense of comfort, Fern Reproductive Health provides safe access to reproductive health care while simultaneously supporting every patient through their decisions.