Follow
Most pregnancies are now planned and women tend to get pregnant later in life
STATES CHRONICLE – Although unintended pregnancies are still happening, and in big numbers, a recently published report suggests that the number of unplanned pregnancies is decreasing and has reached an all-time low in 35 years.
The main reason for the decline is the fact that more women are now using IUD, intrauterine devices or other forms of contraception which are long-acting. After the rates of unintended pregnancies were rising in 2008, the data reports show they have dropped by 18 percent in the next two years.
Moreover, what is also good news is that women in the U.S. are giving birth later, the average age at which a woman gives birth being 26. This means that more women are focusing on career, and fewer teenagers are getting pregnant.
Plus, although sexual education is still not as widespread as it should be, people who receive such an education are less likely to have unprotected sex or to have children at a younger age. This brings social, financial and health benefits to women, as they tend to stay more in school, get a better job and consequently have a better life.
Abortion rates are also decreasing thanks to better contraceptive measures, but there are still 42 percent of unplanned pregnancies which end in abortion. Unintended pregnancies could also have a negative impact on the baby as the mother might be reluctant to offer her baby all the attention they need.
Not receiving maternal love and care, the child may encounter problems in their development, both physical but mostly mental. On the other hand, mothers can be negatively affected as well, especially if they choose to have an abortion.
Although most women claim that on the long run, having an abortion has been a good decision for them, the stress the woman goes through when she finds out she’s pregnant although she did not want it is very high. Abortion can also increase this stress and could affect the woman’s health, mentally and physically, either temporarily, when she find herself in such a situation, or on long-term.
All in all, although unintended pregnancies are declining, sexual education should still be taught, and women should know they have the possibility of controlling whether they want to have a baby or not.
Image source: www.bing.com
