Don’t blame and shame women for unintended pregnancies

The Conversation

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Don’t blame and shame women for unintended pregnancies
Women should not be blamed for getting pregnant accidentally, because factors outside their control are often involved. Pregnancies that are unexpected, mistimed or unwanted are common everywhere.

The line between “intended” and “unintended” pregnancy can be blurred. Some unintended pregnancies can lead to wanted births, and some intended pregnancies are aborted.

But women should not be blamed for getting pregnant accidentally, because factors outside their control are often involved. Pregnancies that are unexpected, mistimed or unwanted are common everywhere. 

Here are some factors that play a role in unintended pregnancies: 

Contraception

Most women who are potentially able to conceive have access to and report using contraception. However, no contraceptive is foolproof. Long-acting reversible contraceptions are highly effective, but failure rates of the more commonly used methods are higher.

Rural residence

Our survey data showed that living in a rural area significantly increased the odds of experiencing an unintended pregnancy. This suggests access to contraceptives of choice might be a problem. In small communities it can be embarrassing to consult a doctor, who may be known in a social or familial setting, about sexual and reproductive health matters. And health services may be less accessible if they are a long way away.

Inequality 

Socioeconomic inequality remains a key factor contributing to reproductive outcomes. In our survey, women and men living in poorer areas were more likely to report an unintended pregnancy.

Sexual coercion 

More than a quarter of women and almost one in ten men reported having been forced to do something sexual that they didn’t want to do during their lifetime. Women and men who had ever experienced unwanted sex were twice as likely also to report unintended pregnancy. Respectful relationships that enable consistent use of a reliable contraceptive method are crucial. It may be that people with experiences of unwanted sex have generally low agency for negotiating with a sexual partner about using contraception, even in consensual sex. 

Women who experience an unintended pregnancy have frequently been vilified for being foolish and irresponsible. This pejorative stereotype persists despite the fact that almost all women and men who responded to our survey agreed that responsibility for contraception should be shared by both sexual partners.

Reducing unintended pregnancies

Education about contraception and access to effective contraceptives of choice are reproductive rights. But more sophisticated sex education and contraceptive counselling are required. These should build skills to address unequal power between women and men in sexual relationships to enable them to negotiate contraception use effectively.

Governments have a role in improving reproductive autonomy. Investment in sexual violence-prevention is essential but they must also address structural barriers.

If guaranteed universal paid maternity leave, flexible family-friendly work conditions for parents, and job security and pay equity for women were universally available, unexpected conceptions might not be so inconvenient or impossible to pursue and therefore less likely to be seen as “unintended”. – Rappler.com

This article was first published on The Conversation. Read the original version on their site.

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