Pregnant women's perspectives on intendedness of pregnancy

Draws on focus group information from 29 women receiving prenatal care at four local NC health departments to explore factors associated with unintended pregnancy & the provisions of publicly funded clinics. Findings identify the significance of partner influences, religion, families, friends, birth control access, planning, & the desire for children. The groups were organized according to race, with 14 African Americans & 15 whites in eight separate groups. Results contradict common assumptions that intendedness of pregnancy is a generally preferred state associated with advantages. These assumptions were particularly false concerning women of low & marginal income status, reflecting positively on K. Luker's (1975) studies on decisions not to use contraception. It is concluded that unintended pregnancy is the result of many specific interrelated factors & should be approached without any value-based medical, research, or social judgment. 29 References. D. Bajo