What are your options if you have an unwanted pregnancy
When we talk about if you have an unwanted pregnancy, it is not uncommon for the stereotype to make an image come to light: a teenage pregnancy or one that is the consequence of a rape. However, this is not always the case. There are also unwanted pregnancies between couples who have a marriage of several years or between men and women who love each other and want to have a stable relationship. An unwanted pregnancy can occur at any age and in any relationship.
Having an unwanted pregnancy or childbirth affects the woman, the partner, the child, and the rest of the family. Several studies have specifically demonstrated an increased risk for women to suffer adverse health consequences during and after an unwanted pregnancy.
Consistently, in different studies, unwanted pregnancy is one of the main risk factors associated with the development of depression during pregnancy and postpartum and lower levels of psychological well-being during pregnancy, postpartum, and long-term.
In general, women who during prenatal monitoring report not wanting pregnancy are, on average, twice as likely to develop depression or anxiety symptoms or to have higher levels of stress.
The truth is that when it comes, the woman and her partner face intense dilemmas. It is currently possible, and in most cases, it is also legal to interrupt pregnancy. But emotionally or morally, this is not always an option.
In these cases, the central question is: continue the pregnancy or interrupt it? The experience is very personal: there is no valid answer for everyone in these situations. There is no correct answer for the same person if we talk about this to be given for different life moments.
On the other hand, men and women feel part of the answer to this question differently. The implications of being a parent are very different. However, despite all these particularities, some actions can be applied to most cases. They’re next.
Identify feelings associated with an unwanted pregnancy
There is a difference between unwanted pregnancy and unplanned pregnancy. In the first case, it is a frontal rejection of the possibility of having a child. In the second case, the idea of having a child is not rejected, but the new life appears at a time that is unwelcome or irrelevant. Therefore, to have an unwanted pregnancy from the circumstances, but not from the attitude towards fatherhood or motherhood.
These questions are valid for both men and women. The idea is to clarify the real attitude to unwanted pregnancy, taking into account the most critical variables. Sometimes, it’s not as straightforward as it seems. Ideally, any decision that is made will lead to a conscious act.
Identify pressures and try to divert them from the decision
The issue to have an unwanted pregnancy is one of the most controversial. The answers to what should be done in such cases are so many, as many voices often feel empowered to express their views. There is one position of religion, another of the family, another of the couple, another of the friends, another of the culture, etc. these positions are often contradictory to each other or differ in essential nuances.