For those who haven't been there yet, what makes unplanned pregnancy a crisis? Why does the degree of intentionality matter for a pregnancy?
Unplanned pregnancy is really a big deal. Just ask anyone going through it. The consequences can be serious for both the mother and child. Women who are pregnant and don't want to be are far less likely to get prenatal care. They're more likely to expose the fetus to alcohol and drugs. The babies are at greater risk for low birth weight, of dying in the first year of life, of being abused.
And a second part of this, no less serious---half of all women in an unintended pregnancy will have an abortion. The ratio of live births to abortions in this country is two to four times higher than in other Western democracies. (National Institutes of Health)
I know this much more personally. I've seen it in the women I've interviewed. They're not as motivated to take care of themselves or the baby they're growing. They're in often difficult domestic situations---alone, or in a bad relationship, or married with lots of children and they feel absolutely overwhelmed, their resources exhausted. It's a very hard time. Many women feel hopeless and desperate during the pregnancy.
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