An unintended pregnancy is a pregnancy that is mistimed, unplanned, or unwanted at the time of conception. It is a core concept to better understand the fertility of populations and the unmet need for contraception (birth control) and family planning. Unintended pregnancy mainly results from the lack of, inconsistent, or incorrect use of effective contraceptive methods.
Unintended pregnancy is associated with an amplified risk of problems for the mom and baby. If a pregnancy is not planned before conception, a woman may not be in optimal health for childbearing. For example, women with an unintended pregnancy could delay prenatal care that may affect the health of the baby. Therefore, it is important for all women of reproductive age to adopt healthy behaviors such as:
- Taking folic acid.
- Maintaining a healthy diet and weight.
- Being physically active regularly.
- Quitting tobacco use.
- Abstaining from alcohol and drugs.
- Talking to your health care provider about screening and proper management of chronic diseases.
- Visiting your health care provider at the recommended scheduled time periods for your age and discuss if or when you are considering becoming pregnant.
- Using effective contraception correctly and consistently if you are sexually active but wish to delay or avoid pregnancy.
In
the United States
According to a study published in 2011,
- In 2006, 49% of pregnancies were unintended—a slight increase from 48% in 2001.
- Among women aged 19 years and younger, more than 4 out of 5 pregnancies were unintended.
- The proportion of pregnancies that were unintended was highest among teens younger than age 15 years, at 98%.
Large increases in unintended pregnancy rates were found among women with lower education, low income, and cohabiting women.
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3338192/
Recent data from the National Survey of Family Growth show no significant decline in the overall proportion of unintended births (live births to women who did not want to get pregnant when they did) between the 1982 and the 2006–2010 surveys. The proportion of births that were unintended did decline during these years among ever-married, non-Hispanic white women. Women more likely to experience unintended births include:
- Unmarried women.
- Black women.
- Women with less education or income.
One study suggests, “A better understanding of the multiple
dimensions of unintended pregnancy also may lead to a better understanding of
the consequences of these pregnancies.”
