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Today, I’d like to discuss unplanned pregnancy to help clear up some common misconceptions.
Whatis an unplanned pregnancy?
It’s a pregnancy that occurs at an inconvenient or unfavorable time or in someone who doesn’t want to become pregnant or take on the role of parenting.1
Accidents can happen
There are several reasons for unplanned pregnancies, including:
1. Limited access to contraceptives. Modern contraception is the best modern tool for people to decide when to have children, how many to have, and how to space them out. However, in real life, many childbearing people don’t want to get pregnant or face barriers in accessing contraceptives due to their environment or circumstances.
2. Non-consensual sexual activity. Some pregnancies result from sex that wasn’t consensual. In its most severe forms, this includes rape and sexual violence, but it can also involve situations where social pressure plays a strong role in initiating sexual activity. As long as sex happens without full consent and planning, unwanted pregnancies will continue to occur.
3. Contraceptive failure. No method of birth control is 100% effective. It’s estimated that globally, between 8 and 30 million pregnancies each year happen due to contraceptive failure or incorrect use. Better information can help reduce these numbers but won’t eliminate the risk.
How common are unplanned pregnancies?
In Mexico, about 55% of all pregnancies are unplanned. That adds up to approximately 1.9 million unplanned pregnancies each year.2
These cases are often associated with teens, single women, and people over 40, but they can happen across all ages and circumstances with different needs.1
It’s worth asking ourselves how many of us were part of a planned pregnancy and how many chose to continue a pregnancy that wasn’t originally planned.
The truth is that many pregnancies continue even if they weren’t intended. That’s why it’s important to distinguish between an unplanned pregnancy and an unwanted one. Sometimes, even without planning, a person may still want to go through the pregnancy.
However, when a pregnancy is both unplanned and unwanted, women and childbearing people must have the right to decide whether to continue or end it. If you’re considering an abortion, there is a safe option using a combination of medications: mifepristone and misoprostol.
If you or someone you know is facing an unwanted pregnancy, know that Telefem is a nonprofit organization that connects you with professionals who can guide you through a safe and legal abortion process—up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. You can do it from your home if that’s your choice. At Telefem, we support your decisions.
How do unwanted pregnancies affect the lives of women and people who can get pregnant?
Various studies have consistently shown that unwanted pregnancy is one of the leading risk factors for developing depression during pregnancy and after childbirth. It also strongly predicts lower psychological well-being in the short and long term. On average, those who report not wanting the pregnancy during prenatal care have twice the likelihood of experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, or elevated stress levels.3
One study that followed 6,410 British women found that continuing an unwanted pregnancy for any reason is associated with almost three times the likelihood of engaging in self-harming behaviors later in life, including suicide. The risk increases even more when the continuation of the pregnancy is the result of being denied on having an abortion, more than doubling compared to women who were able to end their pregnancy.3
In Brazil, where abortion laws are very restrictive; a retrospective study assessed common mental health disorders (depression and anxiety) among 1,121 pregnant women. It found that 63% had wanted or attempted to have an abortion but had not succeeded.3
Being able to decide whether or not to continue a pregnancy is vital for a person’s autonomy and mental health. That’s why Telefem is a safe and trustworthy resource where you can connect with professionals who support self-managed abortion processes. Get familiar with who we are!
Why should society care about unplanned pregnancies?
Unwanted pregnancies are often seen as a “women’s issue,” but they have wide-reaching effects. Two major studies have shown that maternal rejection, absent fathers, harsh or inconsistent parenting, and a lack of supervision increase the likelihood of youth involvement in criminal activity.
Other research supports this by showing that children who were not wanted and who grew up in adverse environments are more likely to engage in criminal behavior. Serious social issues like domestic violence and homelessness also have strong links to unwanted motherhood.1
In 2000, two prominent U.S. economists found a link between the legalization of abortion and a significant drop in crime 15 to 20 years later. Their analysis concluded that legal abortion was the single most crucial factor behind the decline in murder, property damage, and violent crime during the previous decade. They estimated that legal abortion accounted for 50% of the crime reduction.1
The authors suggested that safe abortion allows people to choose the right moment in their lives to have children. In doing so, it gives women and people with the capacity for pregnancy a chance to wait until they truly want and feel ready to become parents.1
What are your options when facing an unplanned pregnancy?
The most important thing to know is that anyone going through an unplanned pregnancy has the freedom to choose without pressure. We can provide clear, accurate information to support that decision. Here are three possible paths:
1. Continue the pregnancy. If someone chooses to continue the pregnancy, it’s essential to consider what raising a child entails: financial readiness, time for caregiving, emotional stability, lifestyle adjustments, and more. You don’t need to have all the answers, but reflecting on both the positive and difficult sides of parenting is essential. When it’s desired, parenting can be challenging but incredibly rewarding.
2. Adoption. In theory, adoption sounds like a promising option, but in Mexico, the reality is more complicated. According to INEGI and Aldeas Infantiles A.C., there are an estimated 30,000 children and teens living in group homes waiting to be adopted. Yet between January 2014 and December 2022, only 127 adoptions were completed through DIF, leaving tens of thousands of children without a permanent family.4
3. Safe abortion is the best option when carried out by qualified professionals using proper methods. The main challenge lies in its legal status. In Mexico, the Supreme Court has ruled that prosecuting or sentencing someone for having a safe abortion is unconstitutional (except in cases of coercion). However, not all states have removed abortion from their penal codes. In many states, safe abortion is permitted for up to 12 weeks: Mexico City, Oaxaca, Hidalgo, Veracruz, Coahuila, Baja California, Colima, Guerrero, Quintana Roo, Baja California Sur, Puebla, Jalisco, Michoacan, San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas, State of Mexico, and Chiapas. Sinaloa allows up to 13 weeks; in Aguascalientes, the limit is 6.5 weeks.5
Safe abortion, above all, allows women and childbearing people to consider other possibilities than those that have been socially instilled in them. There is the option of not choosing pregnancy, motherhood, and caregiving. So, if your decision is NOT to continue with the pregnancy, it is part of your rights. There is the option of doing so through a combination of medications: mifepristone and misoprostol.
At Telefem, we want you to exercise that right in a safe environment, with the guidance of professionals who can walk you through the process. Your choices matter!
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* This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice and applies only to Mexico’s law and context.
References:
- Langer A. El embarazo no deseado: impacto sobre la salud y la sociedad en América Latina y el Caribe Rev Panam Salud Publica/Pan Am J Public Health. 2002;11(3). [Visit October 2024]. [Internet]. Available at: 09–TEMA-Embarazo–192-204.qxd
- Juárez F et al. Embarazo no planeado y aborto inducido en México: causas y consecuencias, Nueva York: Guttmacher Institute. 2013. [Visit October 2024]. [Internet]. Available at: Embarazo no planeado y aborto inducido en México
- Grupo médico por el derecho a decidir (GDC Colombia). Embarazo no deseado, continuación forzada del embarazo y afectación de la salud mental. Documento de posición. 2011. [Visit October 2024]. [Internet]. Available at: Embarazo no deseado, continuación forzada del embarazo y afectación de la salud mental
- Hernández J. Apenas el 0.42% de menores en desamparo lograron ser adoptados en México… ¡en 9 años! Publimetro. 2023. [Visit October 2024]. [Internet]. Available at: Adopción en México: el DIF reconoce 127 adopciones en nueve años – Publimetro México5.
- Grupo de Información de Reproducción Elegida. Aborto. Información y datos sobre aborto legal en México, violencia obstétrica, muerte materna y otros. GIRE. 2019. [Visit December 2024]. [Internet]. Available at: https://gire.org.mx/aborto