A study released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta showed that women who experience “frequent physical abuse” are 1.5 times more likely to have an unplanned pregnancy than women who are not abused. Women who experience psychological abuse are 1.4 times more likely to have an unplanned first pregnancy.
The study also stated that unplanned pregnancies accounted for 49 percent of all US pregnancies in 1994. Approximately half of those pregnant women chose to have an abortion. The study pointed out that live births resulting from unplanned pregnancies “are associated with more maternal complications and poorer infant outcomes than planned pregnancies.” The results of this study point to the importance of a multi-issue feminist approach towards women’s health one that includes attention to domestic violence, contraception, abortion access and other key issues.
