Meaning of unintended pregnancies Sample Clauses

Meaning of unintended pregnancies. Only few participants did not agree with categorizing pregnancy intention circumstances because pregnancy is a possible consequence of any heterosexual sexual activity. Although a small number understood the meaning of unintended pregnancies as defined in survey paradigms, in general participant’s description of unintended pregnancies related to whether the pregnancy occurred within or outside of marriage, with unintended pregnancies being those out of marriage and those within marriage described generally as intended. We found two other primary studies by Fishers et al. (1996) and Barret and Wellings (2002) that examined perceptions about the terms used to describe pregnancy intention. Both studies are from the developed world and focused on women’s perceptions only. Therefore, our study was unique in that it explored these perceptions from both women and men in a low income rural setting. Our findings are consistent with both studies in that women’s understanding of unintended pregnancies differed from how the terms are comprehended and used in quantitative surveys. Although some participants understood unintended pregnancies as those that are mistimed or unwanted and therefore consistent with the epidemiological meaning, the unanimous understanding was that unintended pregnancies are “out of wedlock” pregnancies or those conceived from non-consensual heterosexual sexual relations. Contrary to the findings by Fishers and colleagues, and Barret there was at least a consensus understanding of the meaning of unintended pregnancies among our participants that these pregnancies are extra marital pregnancies, in spite of other variations. It is interesting that these extramarital pregnancies were explained two fold, first between unmarried individuals, second a married individual conceiving the pregnancy with a partner outside of marriage. These findings could be explained by the expectation of “high moral values” in this society especially due to religious beliefs about the sanctity of marriage that a married individual should only have sex with their marital partner and the belief that premarital sex is sin. Therefore children are traditionally expected to be conceived within marriages. It is then not surprising that children within marriage are considered blessings regardless of the number. Additionally, we see unintended pregnancies being described as “accidental.” This is interesting considering Xxxxxxx’x theory of accidents prevention which depicts that ...