Posted on 05/13/2008 11:27:51 AM PDT by traumer
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Each year, half of American women who would rather not get pregnant will have an unplanned pregnancy, often because they failed to use their contraceptive properly or forgot to use it at all, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.
As a result, 28 million women in the United States are at risk for an unintended pregnancy, according to the study conducted by the Guttmacher Institute in New York.
They found one in four women are very likely to become pregnant because of inconsistent contraception use.
Some of this gap is due to lack of access to health care, with many women saying they cannot afford some of the more effective methods of contraception such as birth control pills that require a doctor's visit and prescription.
"It is critical to have a better understanding of what is preventing women from using contraception consistently and correctly, or even at all," Dr. Jennifer Frost, a senior research associate at Guttmacher, said in statement.
The research involved surveys of women and family planning providers nationwide. Among the results, they found that more than half of women who have a gap in contraceptive use of at least one month have experienced some type of major life event -- such as the end of a relationship, a move, job change or personal crisis.
They also found that many women are not satisfied with their current method of contraception, a problem that can lead to missing birth control pills or failure to keep a condom handy, for example.
Last month the National Center for Health Statistics reported there were almost 6.4 million pregnancies in 2004, down 6 percent from 1990. Forty-five percent were to women who were not married, and there were 1.22 million abortions and 1.06 million stillbirths and miscarriages.
The researchers also found that many women who are lax about birth control are simply ambivalent about preventing a pregnancy and confessed that they would be very pleased if they found out they were pregnant.
The researchers said women who are the least motivated to avoid pregnancy are far less likely to use birth control pills, or any contraceptive method at all on a consistent basis.
They said a woman's attitude toward pregnancy, her satisfaction with her method and her experiences with gynecologists and other providers of contraception play a far bigger role in a woman's risk of pregnancy than other major risks, such as poor education and poverty.
Frost said doctors and other health providers should start by helping women to find the best contraceptive method for them.
"The more we can remove the remaining barriers to consistent use, the better we will be at ensuring that all women can avoid unwanted pregnancies and plan the children they want, when they want them," Frost said.
Close legs.
Guttmacher Institute a.k.a. Planned Parenthool a.k.a. Baby Killers
Say No
“Each year, half of American women who would rather not get pregnant will have an unplanned pregnancy, often because they failed to use their contraceptive properly or forgot to use it at all”
Stop f***ing outside of marriage.
“The researchers said women who are the least motivated to avoid pregnancy are far less likely to use birth control pills, or any contraceptive method at all on a consistent basis.”
PAGING CAPTAIN OBVIOUS! CAPTAIN OBVIOUS TO THE MATERNITY WARD, PLEASE!
Reminds me of the old adage the only sure fire birth control pill is one aspirin held firmly between the knees.
Amen. They do have a choice (short of rape). The so-called sexual revolution has taken us to the point of wiping out our country. We are not replacing ourselves. We have to import Mexicans to take up the slack.
I knew a guy that looked like that in college. One of his girlfriends said she almost went “all the way” but after further review found a terrible case of “warts” (if you know what I mean). Sorry, MAJOR BARF ALERT!!
Apparently the HIV crisis has passed of this many single woman are having unprotected intercourse.
My goodness, do you think that this common sense advice of yours, to avoid the activities that cause pregnancy in the first place, is the answer?
The whole tone and underlying assumptions of this article are that the women are involved in sexual activity, regardless of marriage or relationship status, and that it is just assumed that they will be so involved.
Amazing that it’s just assumed that everyone will be sexually active, so they have to “protect” women from themselves. Certain activities cause pregnancy, but these women, for whatever reason, can’t be responsible for themselves or any consequences. It must be the fault of George W. Bush somehow.
In a related but as usual unmentioned story, 28 million men at risk for unwanted fatherhood.
Like all the other commandments, following that one leads to better outcomes outcomes than not following it.
Like all the other commandments, it’s intent is not “killjoy” but actually to increase your joy.
Our society is suffering most from the effects of adulterous behavior and from covetous behavior. Leftists also see no problem with stealing, as long as they do it through the government.
Zero Sympathy here...
Contraceptives are really cheap.
These women “need” their I-pods-—cell phones—HD tv sets—220 channel cable tv, etc. Then they MUST have their Starbuck’s—manicures—hair salons, latest clothes— etc.
These last 2 generations have a lofty idea of what is absolutely necessary for their happiness. The cost and availability of birth control pills is barely more than aspirin. They are just too preoccupied to pay attention to taking the pill every day.
Zero sympathy.....
Ah, but no!
Men are relieved of supporting their bastard offspring because the gov’t will step in and pay to have it murdered, or will set the “mother” up in an apartment and pay for everything she needs.
Is that all the females in the US who can get pregnant? Sounds low, to me.
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Except for in cases of rape there is NO REASON that any woman, and certainly unmarried women, EVER have an "unplanned" pregnancy.
That is overestimating by a whole bunch.
I assumed the First Rapist and a half-dozen others can take care of it...
Noascetol is a completely reliable method of birth control. 100% effective.
You’d think that with all this modern science stuff we have nowadays, somebody would be able to figure out what’s causing all these pregnancies. But apparently, nobody knows-—it’s not mentioned anywhere in this story.
NFP requires a basal thermometer, a pencil and a piece of paper.
My math must be bad. 28 million women at risk with one quarter getting pregnant would mean 7 million unplanned pregnancies per year. There are nowhere near that number of births or abortions.
Finally! Something that isn’t Bush’s fault!
We need multi-million dollar federal studies to determine how this “risk” can be effectively managed.
Beat me to it, but my form was going to be:
“And if unmarried women kept their knees together, how many would be ‘at risk’ then?”
And if families were responsible for the care and support of the “unwanted child” they’d keep better track of their unmarried young women in their clan.
Have sex = possibility of getting pregnant
Not have sex = zero chance of getting pregnant
They make it sound like a disease.
Disgusting.
They’re whores.
A woman can get pregnant no matter how many precautions she takes (short of no sex at all). But instead of looking at the child as a gift from God, they look at him/her like a disease. It's disgusting.
last I heard, married women were also capable of unplanned pregnancies
Getting pregnant is the least of the risks they are accepting. You get over pregnancy in a maximum of 9 months. Many STDs are with you for life.
It’s still no justification for murder.
28 million women shouldn’t have sex if they don’t want to have a baby. Sex=baby. No sex=no baby! It’s really not that complicated!
It’s pretty amazing what some people find complicating!
Any birth control method is much cheaper than the cost of raising a child, and abstinence is free.
Any woman can go into any County Health Care facility in this country and get birth control at minimum, if any, cost.
Yet another push for national healthcare in the guise “reporting a scientific study.”
If that's the case, can we really consider them "at risk"?
Years ago I did a long term study of birth control and pregnancy. The results were three children.
“last I heard, married women were also capable of unplanned pregnancies”
Last I saw (it’s been a while) single women made up the vast majority of abortions due to unplanned pregnancies.
Aside from rape maybe the rest should take some responsibilies for thier actions,
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