If you are or have ever been in a position to decide about an unplanned pregnancy, you know how difficult it is. We understand too. You think about your options and scenes of different outcomes that play in your mind. You also count potential obstacles along the way.
A research institute surveyed 1,209 women and asked them their reasons for choosing abortion [1]. The study concluded the following were the top three reasons women thought they needed an abortion:
- They lacked money to raise a child
- A child would interfere with their life
- They didn’t want to be a single parent
The institute gathered this information from surveyed women who chose their answers from a prepared list of options. However, as our trained advocates and licensed medical professionals come alongside women who are deciding about their unexpected pregnancies, we see their heartbreaking conflict. We see their love, and we see their fear of the unknown. This fear is what a survey doesn’t reveal.
So, here are the top three reasons we hear women think they need an abortion as we listen to women like you every day. Let’s also see if the reasons are true.
1. Women fear their partners will leave them if they don’t have an abortion:
Your feelings are always legitimate. They reveal how you are experiencing the world. The hard truth is if your partner gives you the impression he’ll leave you if you don’t have an abortion, he’s the type of guy who will leave you whether you have an abortion or not. If you don’t want an abortion but you choose that option because of pressure from a partner, it sets you up for intense heartache down the road.
If anyone is pressuring you to choose abortion, it’s called coercion, and it is unlawful [2]. When you visit Pregnancy Care Clinic, you will never receive pressure about your decision. You’ll only receive helpful information so you can make an informed decision for yourself.
2. Women fear their parents’ reaction to finding out they are sexually active:
As common as it is to have sex outside of marriage, it’s still scary to confess it to your parents. Revealing an unexpected pregnancy is particularly difficult when your parents are very conservative or religious. Even women in their 30s can fear their parents’ reaction so much that they think it’s best to have a secret abortion and avoid facing their disappointment.
Is it true that your parents might be disappointed or angry when you tell them about your unexpected pregnancy? Yes. Parents are wired to want better for you than they had for themselves. Their love for you causes them to want their hopes and dreams for you fulfilled. When they hear about your pregnancy, they may be as shocked as you were and may react with disappointment or anger. Try not to take it personally.
We’ve witnessed even the most conservative parents fall in love with their new grandchildren, and they become their own children’s most significant source of encouragement and support as they raise their child.
3. Women fear the future:
Pregnant women wonder if they’re ready to be pregnant, even in planned pregnancies. It’s normal to wonder how you will afford childcare and other expenses of childrearing. It’s also reasonable to wonder if you’re ready to parent and how you will juggle school, work, and parenting. If you want more information, we can help answer your questions.
Resources Are Available
At Pregnancy Care Clinic, we compassionately walk with you through your decision-making process. We offer unbiased information and local resources to help you make a confident decision about your unexpected pregnancy. Contact us today!
[1] Finer, Lawrence, B., Frohwirth, Lori F., Dauphinee, Lindsay A., & Moore, Ann M. (2005). Reasons U.S. Women Have Abortions: Quantitative and Qualitative Perspectives. Retrieved on October 29, 2019 from https://www.guttmacher.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/journals/3711005.pdf
[2] Wikipedia. (2019, October 16). Reproductive Coercion. Retrieved on October 29, 2019 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reproductive_coercion#Birth_control_sabotage
