Unintended Pregnancies on the Rise Among 20-Somethings like Bristol Palin: Here's Why

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Unintended Pregnancies on the Rise Among 20-Somethings like Bristol Palin: Here's Why

Korin MillerJune 26, 2015

Bristol Palin has announced she’s pregnant again, unwittingly becoming the face of a surprising age group seeing an increase in unintended pregnancies. (Photo: Getty Images)

Former teen mom-turned-unplanned pregnancy spokesperson Bristol Palin made a surprising announcement yesterday: She’s pregnant again, and it seems unintended.

“I wanted you guys to be the first to know that I am pregnant,” she said in a very candid blog post, titled “Big News.” “Honestly, I’ve been trying my hardest to keep my chin up on this one. …I know this has been, and will be, a huge disappointment to my family, to my close friends, and to many of you.”

She continued, “Life moves on no matter what. So no matter how you feel, you get up, get dressed, show up, and never give up. When life gets tough, there is no other option but to get tougher.”

Palin first made headlines during her mother’s vice-presidential campaign in 2008 when it was revealed that the then-teenager was pregnant. After giving birth to her son, Tripp, she became a spokesperson for teen pregnancy.

Palin canceled her wedding to Dakota Meyer, a marine, this May, a week before the ceremony was scheduled to take place. “I know God’s plan is greater than anything else,” she wrote at the time, “and Tripp and I are in Alaska beginning to rebuild our lives under much different circumstances than we anticipated.”

She has not named the father or specified how far along she is in her current pregnancy.

Palin’s situation isn’t uncommon.

According to research from the Guttmacher Institute, women who have one unintended pregnancy are more likely to have another. They also have higher overall fertility than other women, which could lead to subsequent unplanned pregnancies.

Unplanned pregnancies are on the rise in the U.S.

The most recent Guttmacher data found that more than half of pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended, and the rate of unintended pregnancies in America has been steadily increasing since 1994.

But the rate of teen pregnancies — which experts say are the most likely to be unintentional — is at a historic low. What’s happening?

Experts say a growing number of women in their 20s are experiencing unintended pregnancies.

“The face of unplanned pregnancy looks a lot like Bristol Palin—a single woman in her 20s,” Bill Albert, chief program officer for The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, tells Yahoo Health.

He cites data collected by his organization that found a whopping seven in 10 pregnancies among unmarried women in their 20s are unplanned.

“Unplanned pregnancy is not just a teen issue,” women’s health expert Jennifer Wider, M.D., tells Yahoo Health.

There are several reasons for the rise among 20-somethings.

One is that, with more access to contraception, women are having more sex. Since contraception isn’t foolproof, there is an increased chance that a woman will become unintentionally pregnant when she’s more sexually active.

Another is that women in their 20s may be cohabitating with a partner, which Wider says also increases the risk of an unplanned pregnancy.

Related: Is Pregnancy Brain for Real?

Albert says a disconnect between cause and effect among 20-somethings is to blame as well. “When you ask most young women, ‘Do you want to get pregnant right now?’ They say ‘no, absolutely not,’” he says. “But when you ask ‘How likely is it that you’re going to have unprotected sex in the next three months?’ many of the same women freely admit that they’re going to have unprotected sex.”

Even more shocking, Albert points out that many 20-somethings are resorting to what he calls “magical thinking” when it comes to their odds of getting pregnant. His organization found that four in 10 young adults believe that it doesn’t matter whether they use birth control or not—when it’s their time to get pregnant, it will happen.

Despite the status quo, Albert remains “optimistic” that the high rates of unplanned pregnancies in the U.S. will decline, largely due to a growing number of women using IUDs, implants, and other long-term birth control methods.

As for Palin, she says she will be okay, writing, “My little family always has, and always will come first. Tripp, this new baby, and I will all be fine.”

Read This Next: Teens May Be Misled by ‘Crisis Pregnancy Centers’

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https://www.yahoo.com/health/unintended-pregnancies-are-on-the-rise-among-122508326987.html

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Abstinence before marriage is not working well for the Palins, eh?

[Janelle2002 3,865]

Where are the real men nowadays? If you get a chick pregnant put a ring on her. If you don't see yourself marrying her stop doing the do with her. This should be for men and women but I guess especially for women since men are blaming single mothers on bringing the economy down but they have no problem with participating in making single mothers.

[Darnell 8,478]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/554620-pregnantcan-i-get-medicaid/

[Janelle2002 3,865]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/554620-pregnantcan-i-get-medicaid/

What is this? An example of a man not taking care of his family? What is your opinion about this post Darnell?

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Where are all the people who talk about single parents? Two babies by two different fathers? If Bristol was black, this thread would be bumping!

[Darnell 8,478]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/554623-my-girlfriend-is-pregnant/

[Darnell 8,478]

1.What is this?

2. An example of a man not taking care of his family?

3. What is your opinion about this post Darnell?

1. something pertinent to post #1 and immigration.

2. exactly.

3. if one qualifies for medicaid, surely one qualifies for Obamacare firstly? I think the male was lazy in applying for the benefit.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

1. something pertinent to post #1 and immigration.

2. exactly.

3. if one qualifies for medicaid, surely one qualifies for Obamacare firstly? I think the male was lazy in applying for the benefit.

When is America going to address the problem we are having with male culture?

[Darnell 8,478]

Steve Harvey has his mentor camps. you want 'America' to fix the problem, or single Moms of 20-year old males, said Moms with Guns and Tasers?

[JohnR! 5,495]

The bigger question is where are her parents? Obviously no father around, in addition to a self-centered and self-serving mother...

Where are the real men nowadays? If you get a chick pregnant put a ring on her. If you don't see yourself marrying her stop doing the do with her. This should be for men and women but I guess especially for women since men are blaming single mothers on bringing the economy down but they have no problem with participating in making single mothers.

[Tabitha and James 17]

When is America going to address the problem we are having with male culture?

When are people going to stop asking "America" to raise their children?? Should it not be a parent's duty to make sure their children (male and female) are properly educated about what happens when you "bump uglies" without at least one form of contraception??

Even more so if that child (male or female) is a product of an unplanned teen/20's pregnancy where the mother raised the child on her own. You would think they would beat the idea of birth control into that kids head.

Unless it's a case of rape, it takes two to tango. These men aren't getting women pregnant by breathing on them. Ladies need to take some responsibility too.

[Lemonslice 4,841]

Abstinence before marriage is not working well for the Palins, eh?

To her credit, she never got pregnant when she was abstinent. She only got pregnant after she had sex.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

When are people going to stop asking "America" to raise their children?? Should it not be a parent's duty to make sure their children (male and female) are properly educated about what happens when you "bump uglies" without at least one form of contraception??

Even more so if that child (male or female) is a product of an unplanned teen/20's pregnancy where the mother raised the child on her own. You would think they would beat the idea of birth control into that kids head.

Unless it's a case of rape, it takes two to tango. These men aren't getting women pregnant by breathing on them. Ladies need to take some responsibility too.

Not asking America to raiser our children. I am being sarcastic with this statement. In the Hot Topic section we always say when will America.....

It takes two but when do you hear the news and media address men when it comes to single parent homes? They don't. They say it is single mothers who are messing up the economy, blah blah blah. Women should take responsibility too. I said this already.

There are various reasons women don't take birth control pills. However, it is sad when you have to decide whether to become a single mother or wait until you are old age lettuce to have a child with a husband and even if you wait until you are rotten lettuce there is no real chance you will be married with a good man.

I want to know, why are we seeing this trend of men helping to make babies but play no role in helping to raise the child, they don't marry the woman and media only shames the woman.

To her credit, she never got pregnant when she was abstinent. She only got pregnant after she had sex.

The bigger question is where are her parents? Obviously no father around, in addition to a self-centered and self-serving mother...

No father around. Exactly the point I am making. America is becoming a society of women raising children with no men.

Women should just take over America. :-)

[Tabitha and James 17]

Not asking America to raiser our children. I am being sarcastic with this statement. In the Hot Topic section we always say when will America.....

Apologies, I am not familiar with the Hot Topic section. Suppose I should take a stroll over there once in a while.

It takes two but when do you hear the news and media address men when it comes to single parent homes? They don't. They say it is single mothers who are messing up the economy, blah blah blah. Women should take responsibility too. I said this already.

Single Mother's are not the only contributing factor to "messin up the economy" but it doesn't help when they already have one child they can not afford to feed, cloth and shelter without public assistance but then go and have 2-3 more children.

Children are not a means to a paycheck. I don't mind working to support a family that is down on it's luck.. for a time. But there has to be a limit. If my tax dollars are paying for your daycare so you can go to the mall during the day and pick out your next "baby daddy" then take your butt to work and be an example to your children. You can't tell me that it takes someone 10 years to find a job. If you can find transportation, money and a babysitter to watch your kids while you go to the club/bar then you can find it to earn a paycheck so another family in need can have a chance to use that assistance to turn their luck around.

There are various reasons women don't take birth control pills. However, it is sad when you have to decide whether to become a single mother or wait until you are old age lettuce to have a child with a husband and even if you wait until you are rotten lettuce there is no real chance you will be married with a good man.

There are several other forms of birth control besides the pill. If he's not a good man... don't marry him.

I would rather have a child I have support on my own with no man then to have one I have to support on my own with the wrong man. Or worse yet, have to support the child and the man..

Totally agree with the media S-L-U-T shaming the ladies though, it's harsh to judge one side but not the other. Plenty of men that spread their love seeds around with 3-4 women but are forgiven because they are men.

I suppose the same could be said about the child support/missing parent issue. I know plenty of men raising their children and don't receive a dime of support from the absentee mother. Yet, we really only hear about the Dead Beat Dads.