How Common is Unplanned Pregnancy?

How common is unplanned pregnancy, and why do women consider abortion?

Approximately 50 percent of pregnancies are unplanned and at risk of ending in abortion. For a pregnant woman, what factors into making an abortion decision? According to the Guttmacher Institute, most women cite more than one reason why they are considering abortion, including relationship problems, lack of finances, interference with work/education, and/or they care for other kids. The top reasons all center around lack of support, which, in many instances, would be helped by the presence of a caring partner or family member. Your compassionate and caring support can make all the difference.

To help you identify who is at risk for making an abortion decision, consider the characteristics of women who chose abortion:

• Nearly two-thirds have at least one child—so they know about the wonder of new life.

• One in every four women has had an abortion by age 45—think about this next time you meet a woman in this age bracket and realize she may be harboring wounds from past abortions.

• 64 percent of all abortions occur in 20- to 29-year-old women.

• 54 percent report Christian affiliation—this can open a dialog about how God factors into their decision and how they reconcile an abortion against the tenets of their faith.

• 75 percent of abortions occur among low-income women.

Notice that a full quarter of abortions occur in women who are middle-income and above. That’s a large number when you think of the approximately 900,000 abortions performed in America annually. Understand that EVERY woman is at risk for abortion—regardless of their faith tradition, marital status, or any other demographic. I’ve seen married women with plenty of resources consider abortion because of paternity issues and homeless women who fiercely chose life in the face of large obstacles.

Excerpt from the article,  Helping Patuients Navigate an Unplanned Pregnancy, by Dr. Sandy Christiansen on Sep 27, 2023 shared from the Care Net Blog located at:

https://www.care-net.org/center-insights-blog/helping-patients-navigate-an-unplanned-pregnancy?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=276054547&_hsenc=p2ANqtz- 944C1_NMH6MeHbelmNEoMaNmY3182Uae4MSmWkYUSFgLEQjtuI6xEQrlcex48VCnp8_PIcKCvcuAqiXaT620XhY5aCbGZVo8NOUH18WN9ctncmklk&utm_content=275993736&utm_source=hs_email