Your plan was to get married, get a good job, buy a house, get a dog and then have two kids. But now you find yourself pregnant and you feel more alone than ever. You're not alone. According to the American Pregnancy Helpline, about 3 million U.S. women face unplanned pregnancies every year.
Statistics
According to the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth, about half of U.S. pregnancies in 2001 were unintended pregnancies. Of those unintended pregnancies, 44 percent resulted in births, 42 percent of them were aborted and 14 percent of them were miscarriages. According to the American Pregnancy Association, of 60 million women of childbearing years in the United States, 3 million don't use contraception. An estimated 47 percent of unplanned pregnancies result from using no form of contraception.
Health Factors
In addition to the psychological stress of finding out about an unplanned pregnancy, the mother and fetus are in physical jeopardy if the pregnancy is not discovered early on. Women who haven't planned their pregnancies might not be living a pregnancy-friendly lifestyle. They could be using drugs and alcohol and having unprotected sex with people who could have sexually transmitted diseases. They could also have dangerous medical conditions, such as diabetes, that aren't being adequately controlled. Moreover, the baby's nervous system can be negatively affected if the mother isn't taking prenatal vitamins with folic acid prior to and during the first few weeks of pregnancy.
Financial Factors
Those affected by an unplanned pregnancy might encounter financial struggles. For one, if they didn't foresee the pregnancy, they might be under-insured. They might also still be in school or not have a stable income even if they are working. Unplanned pregnancies cost money regardless of whether the pregnant woman carries out the pregnancy. For example, a first-trimester Planned Parenthood abortion costs between $350 and $900.
Three Choices
A woman facing an unplanned pregnancy must make one of three choices. She can choose to parent the baby and personally accept all the perks and pitfalls that come with that decision. She'll have a tighter budget and less personal freedom, but she might also reap deep emotional rewards. Another option she has is to give the baby up for adoption. She would have to carry out the pregnancy to term and face the emotional challenges that come with letting go of the baby she carried, but she would also be able to receive emotional counseling and have the opportunity to give a priceless gift to the adoptive couple. Finally, she can opt to have an abortion. However, she will have to be aware of her state's laws, accept the emotional consequences and have the money to afford the procedure before she commits to having one.
National Prevention
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States set a national goal to decrease its number of unplanned pregnancies to 30 percent by 2010. In order to decrease the number, it aims to find more effective forms of contraception. It also aims to increase overall contraceptive use as well as adherence to contraceptive use.
