pregnancy

[Le Chat]

Why do you think that in an age where there is every type of contraception available, from condoms to injections every 12 weeks, people are still 'falling' pregnant?

[andy hughes]

Because people are different. For every person who takes responsibility for their contraception, there are dozens more who simply allow things to happen to them, and have no real control over their lives.

This applies to all areas of life - drink-driving, smoking, some people just don't equate the information available as referring in any way to themselves - hence the results of, in this particular question, unwanted pregnancies.

[maggie01]

I have asked myself that in the past. Maybe girls wouldn't have the injection unless they were in a relationship.They easily forget to take the pill, and maybe they don't have condoms with them when needed. But more likely its a case of "It wont happen to me".

[Hermia]

I think some young girls do want to get pregnant because they don't have much else in their life. I work in a very poor area with one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in the country. Some girls I have met clearly are ******** and irresponsible, but I have also met girls who feel a baby gives them status. It's very hard to get out of poverty in this area, especially as the schools are all really bad and there are not many opportunities to get up the career ladder. I think girls who are not clever or academic feel a baby at least gives them status as a mother. One girl even told me that a baby would be nice because she would have someone who loved her. These girls don't choose to get pregnant as such, they just aren't careful with contraception because half of them would like to 'accidently' get pregnant.

What always surprises me is the amount of grown-up women who are organised and successful yet take silly risks with contraception.

[Hermia]

Ha ha ha! The overly-sensitive Answerbank censor has objected to a word that rhymes with reckless, but has an 'f' at the beginning.

[twopennorth]

The answer to the question is another question - how many accidental pregnancies are really accidents?

The truth is that there are areas between absolutely wanting to get pregnant, and absolutely not wanting to get pregnant. e.g, should we think about having another baby, etc.

There are also those occassions where caution gets thrown to the wind. Is it really an accident when at the back of your mind you know the risks?

As for contraception - is there really multiple suitable options?

IMO it is hard work getting a man born before 1968 to use a condom (no pun intended). If they are reluctant, the only other option available to them is a vasectomy - a bit drastic.

As for us ladies, we have the option of pumping ourselves full of chemicals or having a wire contraption shoved up our nether regions none of which appeal to me personally. I've not tried the injection thing, but then my old bloke has gone for the vasectomy option.

[gingerflaps]

most young people who get pregnant do it because they think they can get a house and all the benefits given to them and they wont have to go out to work. and usually this is what exactly happens.