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The issue of an
unplanned pregnancy is a problem that is generally intertwined with a
host of sensitive and more critical social concerns, like poverty,
responsible parenting, health, education, child welfare, and other
social issues. It’s a fact that unwanted or unplanned pregnancy has
its associated social costs and analysts are viewing this concern not
only as an exclusively reproductive health issue.
In analyzing this pressing social concern, many view that if more
children were born to parents who are ready and able to care for them,
then society as a whole should be able to reap the benefits of a
reduction in a host of social problems ranging from school dropouts,
child abuse, juvenile crime and neglect.
Unplanned Pregnancy as a Major Health And Social Challenge
The rise in the number of unplanned pregnancies among teenagers and
young adults today is viewed by most social analysts as a pressing
health and social concern. Most unwanted pregnancies are either
resolved by abortion with around a million or more done annually. Many
health and social analysts differ on what methods or programs should
be used to tackle such concerns. According to reliable figures, around
567,000 births resulted from pregnancies that women did not want to
take place and analysts say this increasing number puts the resulting
children in a very vulnerable situation. For instance, women who
experience an unplanned pregnancy, whatever their social or economic
backgrounds are, would less likely obtain prenatal care, and are more
likely to be at increased risk of having babies who are either
underweight, malnourished or born prematurely. The offspring of
unwanted pregnancies are less likely to be properly breastfed as well.
Risks Faced By the Children of Unwanted Pregnancies
According to health experts, children born as a result of unplanned or
unwanted pregnancies face a much larger risk of getting developmental
defects than planned ones. Pediatricians note that these types of
children show or exhibit less than average physical and mental
performance as compared to those born from an intended pregnancy.
Additional studies have noted that children who were the result of an
untimely pregnancy would generally exhibit lower or below-average
cognitive test scores as compared to those born from planned or
intended pregnancies. These types of children are more likely to drop
out of school early, obtain lower grade-point averages as well as
obtain lesser school attendance records. When these types of children
grow into adulthood, they also face a much higher risk of divorce,
spousal and child abuse.
Social analysts’ stress that reducing the levels of unplanned or
unwanted pregnancies should be foremost on the mindsets of health and
social policy framers, as this would aid in increasing the number of
children born into environments or homes that would be much better in
supporting their growth and development.
Reproductive health experts also say that a more concrete policy
should be crafted that would help in increasing the availability and
use of contraception devices and drugs. Strengthening the provision of
more relevant sex education strategies to teenagers, parents, and
young adults is also vital in order to encourage them to take a much
more serious view on issues like sex, pregnancy and personal
responsibility.
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