Maureen Sweeney, a medical director of Frontline Services took on a task with Cleveland’s state representative, that teen moms were waiting for. Maureen was familiar with the pains of becoming a teen mom, as she had her first child at the age of 18. After the birth of her child Maureen studied and became a labor and delivery nurse at the Metro Health Medical center in Ohio. She would witness young moms come in pregnant and in pain. It was like punishment after punishment for these teens. They already had the pressure on how they were going to raise their children at a young age, they struggled with disappointment from their parents, and now labor pains.
Maureen told O Mag (page 101 May issue written by Carleen Bauer), that some mothers would deny their teens of epidural, just so they could go through the pain of having a baby. It was a way of teaching them what becoming a mother really feels like. However, the lesson was too much for Maureen to deal with. She decided to get in contact with her States Representative, who was also the father of her high school friend. She worked to pass a laws that would allow young moms to elect labor meds without consent of their parents. Maureen pushed to achieve her goals.
Last July, Nickie Antonio along with Democrat Kristin Boggs introduced a bill that would allow pregnant minors to consent to their own healthcare for themselves and their children. In February Maureen testified on behalf of the bill to a legislative committee, in hopes that it would pass by the end of the year.
Maureen’s passion may make labor better for teen moms in the future. She has continued making money moves by becoming earning her master’s degree and becoming a medical director at Frontline Service, helping people in crisis receive mental health care.
