Course 2
Abortion
Unwanted Pregnancies
A Moral Dilemma
Differing Views
A Medical Issue
A Legal Issue
World-wide Statistics
Historical Notes
Abortion Methods
Unwanted Pregnancies
流產

非意願妊娠

多數的妊娠為無計畫的,並且許多是不受歡迎的甚或非意願的。一旦准父母有時間調整好自己,無計畫和不受歡迎的妊娠通常會被他們所接納;但是,非意願妊娠則是一個棘手的問題。

美國1995年首次偶遇性行為統計
Involuntary First Intercourse in the USA 1995

首次性交年齡
Age at first intercourse
例數(千) 
Number in thousands
首次偶遇性行為百分比%
Involuntary first intercourse in percent
<16 / Under 16 years 13,944 16.1
<15/ Under 15 years 7,290 22.1
16/ 16years 8,750 6.5
17/ 17 years 8,754 4.9
18 / 18 years 6,941 5.1
資料來源:美國疾病控制中心-國家衛生統計學中心(NCHS)
Source: CDC - National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
發生非意願妊娠有多種原因。其中之一是被強姦。可是,最常見的則是荒唐可笑:那些盲目投入性行為的人對避孕一無所知,或不能得到避孕藥具,或他們少不省事、粗心大意和缺乏責任心,或他們所使用的避孕藥具不起作用。無論怎樣的原因,非意願妊娠可以引起嚴重的社會問題。
至於那些養育數個孩子有困難的父母,要多添一個孩子對於整個家庭來說則意味著窮困和絕望。身體虛弱、有病或吸毒的孕婦,由於身懷有孕,可能進一步危及其健康或使孩子致殘。年少、未婚女子可能到底就無準備、不適宜或不願意承擔為母之道。因而,非意願分娩不僅對母親而且對孩子都可能是一個災禍。女性一旦面臨這些和相似的窘況,她就有充分的理由決定自願流產,這是擺脫困境的唯一途徑。
Abortion

Unwanted Pregnancies

A great number of pregnancies are unplanned, and many of these are unwelcome or even unwanted. Unplanned and unwelcome pregnancies are usually accepted by the future parents once they have taken some time to adjust to them, but truly unwanted pregnancies are a different matter.
Unwanted pregnancies happen for many reasons. One of them could be rape. However, most often the case is less dramatic: Some people who engage in coitus simply do not know about contraception, or they are unable to get contraceptives, or they are young, careless and irresponsible, or the contraceptives they use do not work. Whatever the cause, an unwanted pregnancy can create very serious problems.
In the case of parents who already have difficulty supporting several children, one more birth can mean misery and despair for the whole family. An expectant mother who is physically weak or who suffers from certain diseases or drug addiction may, by her pregnancy, further endanger her own health or give birth to a sick or deformed baby. A young, unmarried woman may be totally unprepared, unfit, or unwilling to assume the responsibilities of motherhood. Thus, an unwanted birth could be a disaster not only for her but also for the child. In these and similar cases, a woman may well decide that a voluntary abortion is the only way out.

[Course 2] [Description] [How to use it] [Introduction] [Conception] [Pregnancy] [Birth] [Infertility] [Contraception] [Abortion] [Unwanted Pregnancies] [A Moral Dilemma] [Differing Views] [A Medical Issue] [A Legal Issue] [World-wide Statistics] [Historical Notes] [Abortion Methods] [Additional Reading] [Examination]