SPOTLIGHT ON ABORTION CARE & REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE
Voices from the Frontlines: Dr. Kristyn Brandi on Claiming Space and Shaping the Future of Abortion Care
Written by Araam Abboud, MS, AMSA Reproductive Health Project Intern
Abortion providers do more than deliver essential healthcare—they advocate, educate, and push back against the stigma that surrounds their work. I had the honor of speaking to Dr. Kristyn Brandi, an OB-GYN and Complex Family Planning subspecialist, who has dedicated her career to ensuring patients receive compassionate, evidence-based care while also training the next generation of providers. In our conversation, she shares her journey into abortion care, the challenges she’s faced, and what keeps her going in a field that is as rewarding as it is demanding.
Araam: To start off, could you tell us a little bit about yourself—where you’re from and what you do now?
Dr. Brandi: Sure! My name is Kristyn Brandi, and my pronouns are she/her/ella. I was born and raised in New Jersey, and I still live and provide clinical care here.
I’m an OB-GYN and a Complex Family Planning subspecialist. I also consider myself a reproductive justice and reproductive autonomy advocate, and I do research and work in education—specifically in training the next generation of abortion providers.
Araam: We love that! I’d love to hear about what first inspired you to become an abortion provider.
Dr. Brandi: I’ve always been interested in human rights and social justice, so I was drawn to abortion care as a concept, but I didn’t know much about it clinically or how it actually happened.
When I started medical school, I got involved with AMSA and Medical Students for Choice, and I assumed that when I became a “serious doctor,” I’d have to set that aside. But then I found OB-GYN to be the perfect marriage of healthcare and social justice.
There was a specific moment that really solidified my decision. I remember working with a patient who was there for an abortion due to a fetal anomaly. She was devastated—she didn’t want to be there, but she knew this was the best decision for her and her child. And yet, the nurses barely wanted to be in the room with her. They didn’t want to talk to her because she was having an abortion.
It was awful. These were nurses I respected, people I knew provided excellent care—but in that moment, they let stigma override their compassion.
I never wanted patients to feel ostracized or neglected like that. If someone needs care, they should be able to access it with dignity and respect. That experience shaped a lot of my work, especially in marginalized care, and abortion has always been central to that.
Araam: Wow. Did you feel like you had a lot of exposure to abortion care in medical school?
Dr. Brandi: I was lucky. My fourth-year elective let me shadow and actually perform a few first-trimester procedures, which was eye-opening and inspiring. After that, I was all in—like, sign me up, what do I need to do?
I was also fortunate to attend a residency program where abortion training was part of the core curriculum. That made all the difference. I know that’s not the case for many, so I recognize how lucky I was to have that exposure early on.
Araam: Has your perspective on abortion care changed over time?
Dr. Brandi: Not really, but my understanding of how institutions approach abortion care has evolved.
I did my medical school and residency in New Jersey, where we have relatively liberal laws. But even though abortion was legal, it wasn’t necessarily openly discussed. We provided care, but it was still hush-hush. No one really talked about it.
When I went to Boston for fellowship, I noticed a huge difference in the culture. There, we openly said the word abortion instead of using euphemisms like “termination of pregnancy.” There was no hesitation or discomfort—it was just part of normal healthcare, and that was refreshing.
Since then, I’ve worked in various spaces—academic institutions, Planned Parenthoods, independent clinics—and they all approach abortion differently. Even in supportive states, there are layers of stigma embedded in the system. And of course, I’ve done training in restricted states, where the challenges are even greater.
Araam: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as an abortion provider?
Dr. Brandi: Legitimacy.
Abortion has long been ostracized in medicine. Before Roe, abortion was illegal, and providers were often depicted as shady, untrustworthy people. Those tropes never fully went away, and anti-choice rhetoric continues to push the idea that abortion doctors are greedy, unskilled, or bottom-of-the-class physicians.
That’s simply not true. I trained extensively for this. I have the same credentials as anyone else in my field, and I approach my work with the same compassion and commitment to patient autonomy.
I think all of us in medicine struggle with imposter syndrome to some degree, but for abortion providers, it’s compounded by societal stigma. For a long time, I felt like I had to prove that I was a real doctor. But the truth is, not many OB-GYNs can perform second-trimester D&Es or provide complex abortion care.
My expertise is valuable, and I’ve learned to wear that as a badge of honor.
Araam: That’s such an important point. And your work is incredible. How do you maintain your emotional resilience?
Dr. Brandi: I remind myself that if I don’t do this, who will?
Every time I face challenges—whether it’s systemic barriers, stigma, or personal doubts—I think back to that patient no one wanted to care for.
If I don’t provide this care, who will?
If we all gave up, there would be no resistance left.
I also try to focus on the wins. Even when things feel overwhelming, I remind myself that every patient I help, every trainee I support, every stigma I push back against—it all matters.
Araam: What do you wish more people understood about abortion care and the providers who offer it?
Dr. Brandi: That abortion is normal.
People seeking abortions come from all walks of life. There’s no single “type” of person who gets an abortion. I’ve provided care to people who say, “I don’t believe in abortion, but I need this.” And my response is always: your abortion is just as valid as everyone else’s.
Abortion providers are also diverse. People have a specific image in their minds of who provides abortion care, but we don’t all fit that mold. Many of us are deeply connected to the communities we serve. We do this work because we believe in it. And let’s be honest—there are far more lucrative medical specialties.
People who provide abortions do it because they care,
not because it’s easy or profitable.
Araam: What does Abortion Provider Appreciation Day mean to you?
Dr. Brandi: It’s complicated.
It actually falls on my birthday, which feels like a sign—I was literally born to do this work.
But the day itself is rooted in tragedy. It marks the anniversary of the first abortion provider killed for doing this work. That’s sobering. It reminds me how dangerous this job can be, how real the threats are.
At the same time, I love that people have reclaimed it as a celebration—an opportunity to honor those who have laid their lives on the line for this work,
and to uplift the future generation of providers.
Araam: Speaking of the next generation, if you could leave one message for future abortion providers, what would it be?
Dr. Brandi: Don’t listen to the noise.
There’s so much noise around abortion right now—misinformation, stigma, political attacks. It’s heavy. Even in personal conversations with friends and family, it can be exhausting.
But that’s not why you’re here. You’re here because you believe in this work.
Focus on that. Keep pushing forward. The world needs you.
Araam: That’s such a powerful message. Thank you so much for this conversation!
Thank you to Dr. Brandi for sharing her time and insights. These conversations are crucial in breaking down stigma, uplifting providers, and ensuring that abortion remains accessible and supported.
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*Note: an excerpt of this Spotlight is included in AMSA Reproductive Health Project eNews #52 The Anniversary That Demands Our Action, August 16, 2025.
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