Making unexpected decisions about health issues is often difficult; making decisions around an unplanned pregnancy is no different. For many women, an unplanned pregnancy can be one of the first times that they have had to deal with a decision about their health and the course of their life. If you experience and unplanned pregnancy you have three options: Continuing the pregnancy and raising the child, continuing the pregnancy and placing the child up for adoption or terminating the pregnancy by abortion. The influence of social norms, family, and friends play a large role, in whether women decide on having an abortion. The qualitative perspectives on abortion decision making among teenage women in Sweden states that “Without the partner’s support and agreement on how to cope with the eventual parenthood, women viewed abortion as the only reasonable solution.” (Ekstrand, M.,Tyden, T., Darj, E., & Larsson, M. (2009)) . In North America, social norms regarding unplanned pregnancies allow for women to talk with friends, family, and doctors before making their decision. That being said many women feel alone, uncomfortable or scared in discussing their situation. With men and women continually having sex at younger ages, many women are making rash or irrational decisions about their unplanned pregnancy. The case study An illusion of Power: Qualitative Perspectives on Abortion Decision Making Among Teenage Women in Sweden demonstrates how social norms, family and partners play a role in the decision process. A total of 25 women aged 16-20 were interviewed 3-4 weeks postabortion. Almost all the women stated that they were in charge of contraceptive use and not their male partner. This is a startling fact because it places a great d... ... middle of paper ... ...ed with an unplanned pregnancy may feel these pressures are too hard to handle by having a child at such an early age. Making decisions that are not fully thought through can lead to depression, drug use, and suicide. Works Cited Ekstrand, M.,Tyden, T., Darj, E., & Larsson, M. (2009). An Illusion of Power: Qualitative Perspectives On Abortion Decision-Making Among Teenage Women In Sweden. Perspectives on on Sexual & Reproductive Health, 41(3), 173. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database. Franz, W. (1990). Women Report Lack of Informed Consent. Retrieved March. 9th 2009, From lifeissues.net Website http://www.lifeissues.net/writers/air/air_vol3no1_1990.html “Abortions Deleterious Effects on Women: Mental Health, Quality of life, and mortality Rates.” National Right to Life News. January 26th 2006: 17. Academic One File. Web. Retrieved March 9th 2010.
In the United States about 1.6 million pregnancies end in abortion. Women with incomes under eleven thousand are over three times more likely to abort than those with incomes above twenty-five thousand. Unmarried women are four to five times more likely to abort than married and the abortion rate has doubled for 18 and 19 year olds. Recently the U.S. rate dropped 6 percent overall but the rate of abortion among girls younger than 15 jumped 18 percent. The rate among minority teens cli...
Every day, an overwhelming amount of human beings’ lives are terminated. The culprit: unwanted pregnancies. Many woman are (not by choice), becoming pregnant as a result of unsafe sex, rape, and other things. So what is one to do when they discover that they’re pregnant? They have some alternatives: (1) have the child and raise it (2) have the child, then give it up for adoption (3) get an abortion. Sadly, many women choose alternative three, unaware of what they’re getting themselves into.
Being a parent is very demanding and can be hard. The difficulties that come with an unplanned pregnancy in teens can have a profound effect on their life. Their physical, social, mental, and emotional health will all be affected by a sudden change in the course of their life. Teens impacted with an unplanned pregnancy will have to give up many things in order to be a parent. In addition, they will have to take on many more responsibilities that accompany pregnancy and parenthood. All in all, having an unplanned pregnancy and becoming a parent introduce many new responsibilities and difficulties.
Even though the United States has ruled abortions to be legal, there is still controversy. One may say that this is a growing problem in our country. However, for every problem there should be a solution. Erika Bachiochi argues that: “The state's suppression of a woman's right to choose [was] simply a perpetuation of the patriarchal nature of our society...To free women from [the] gender hierarchy, women must have a right to do what they please with their bodies” (22). She says that women have always been suppressed of their rights, and men believe that they have more power than women. Bachiochi, as well as many other women, believe that they should have choice over something as simple as their own bodies. Having a right to their bodies helps make women feel free from the idea that men are superior to women. Women have always been told how to act in society, but when it comes to abortion they believe that their voices should be heard. If women have no other right, at least let them have a right over their own bodies. The solution may be simple, but getting there may not be so easy. On this issue Eileen McDonagh proposes that, “The right...
Teenagers who become mothers have harsh prospects for the future. Teenagers obtaining abortions are 20% and girls under 15 accounts for 1.2%. They are much more likely to leave of school; receive insufficient prenatal care; rely on public assistance to raise a child; develop health problems; or en...
This “Land of Opportunity” seems to be turning into a land of disrupting opportunity. Of all pregnancies in the U.S., about half are unintentional. Of these unintended pregnancies, 4 of 10 are aborted (“Abortions in America”). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there were over 300,000 babies born to teenage girls in 2011 alone (“About Teen Pregnancy”). This data shows how Americans value, (or don’t value), the lives of their unborn children, and those of the teenages that have made a decision that will stick with them for the rest of their
While strangers judged this behavior as being “irresponsible and self-destructive” (47), young mothers associate abortion to an “easy way out” (45); the pressure of society and their community push young couples to keep the child. Their
Abortion, like any other medical procedure, carries some risks. When one considers, however, that “the risk of death associated with childbirth is about 10 times as high as that associated with abortion” (“Know the Facts”), the threat of abortion suddenly does not seem as perilous. Additionally, contrary to popular misconception, abortion does not contribute to future infertility or development of breast cancer. It is therefore safer and more prudent to have an abortion than an unwanted pregnancy.
Many women describe it as a privilege and miracle, while others consider the act itself of conceiving and carrying another human being as an inexplicable feeling. Those women that enjoy the opportunity of being a mother cherish every moment and appreciate it as a wonderful gift. Although this stands as a beautiful thing, there exists women choosing to abort. Women of all ages may face the decision of whether or not to terminate the life that they carry in their womb through the abortion process. Nevertheless, late term abortion results in terrifying consequences. The procedure causes health complications for the mother, inflicts pain on a living fetus, and kills the unborn baby.
Among the Nations leading controversy’s, the bilateral issue of abortion seems to be a popular yet, contentious debate. For several decades, abortion has been a never ending conflict that has caused a division among society. This bitter political brawling has created a pointless stalemate that has left the abortion issue unresolved. What is right and what is wrong? Should a woman be allowed to have an abortion and deprive a child from life or should she be forced to forfeit her right to make her own decisions? Society is caught in the middle of this controversial topic because a portion of individuals believe that it should be a woman’s choice whether she has an abortion while others consider it to be murder.
Being a mother is a lifelong job that requires copious time, energy, and money. There are myriad different reasons in which a woman would consider getting an abortion. The decision is often tragic and painful for the mother. It is one of the biggest choices a woman will make. Many people have strong beliefs about abortion, and if a mother makes a decision that they do not agree with they sometimes turn against the mother, and enkindle egregious feelings about their decision for the rest of their life. Indeed a woman may not get an abortion for selfish reasons or out of convenience, but out of a desire to protect certain important values such as her own health or a decent standard of living for the other members of the family. Additional intentions for having abortion include rape, financial difficulties, obligation by family members, or danger to the baby’s health (Roleff
Strahan, Thomas W., J.D. “Therapeutic Influence in Abortion Counseling and Procedures: Creating the Illusion of Well-Being.” Association for Interdisciplinary Research in Values and Social Change. March / April 2002. 1 March 2004. <http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/facts/Vol%2017%20No%201%20Mar%202002.pdf>
Women’s reproductive rights and health has become socially constructed because government policies and social conditions influence these issues. One area of women’s reproductive rights and health that has become influenced by government policies is abortion. Abortion is a very controversial topic in today’s world. There are a lot of misconceptions and hidden facts about what actually happens. Studies say that “restricting legal abortion does not reduce abortion incidence and legalizing abortion does not increase it; rates are lowest in countries where it is legal and contraceptives and reproductive health information are widely available” (Burn, 53). In developed countries 92% of abortions are safe and in developing countries 55% are unsafe
When pregnancy is unwanted women perceive the choice of abortion as the least of three evils: abortion, adoption, or keeping the child (Smith, 2000). Pregnancy changes a woman's life, regardless of whether or not it ends in abortion. The woman making the abortion decision looks at a variety of relationships to help her make the decision. Often, she will discuss her options with a physician or counselor. If she does decide to get an abortion, there are many factors she will have to face. According to an article in Business 2.0, written by David Shribman (2000), women who have had abortions are at greater risk of suffering emotional and psychological problems which may interfere with their ability to concentrate, make decisions, and interact with others. As a result, it reduces the woman's level of job skills and employment opportunities. Post-abortion women are more likely to engage in drug and alcohol abuse, often as a result of the guilt and negative feelings held inside of them after the abortion. This may prevent them from entering other meaningful relationships. They are likely to become pregnant again and undergo additional abortions and are more likely to never marry, more likely divorce, and m...
The majority of women choose to have an abortion because it is a last resort, and not just some form of extreme contraception. Getting contraception in many states is very restricted, in some instance, the only way to get proper contraception, away from condoms, a female require a doctor’s prescription, (Guttmacher Institute). In most cases, pregnancy among American women or women in general is unintended.