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Broken contraception: What behaviors might affect your reproductive autonomy?
In today's society, the issue of reproductive autonomy has received increasing attention. However, many people may not realize that certain behaviors can have a profound impact on an individual's reproductive choices. Known as reproductive coercion, these behaviors involve a range of behaviors that influence an individual's decisions regarding reproductive health, often imposed by intimate partners, parents, or even social policies.
Reproductive coercion, that is, taking the ability of others to decide on reproduction, actually violates an individual's reproductive rights.
There are various forms of reproductive coercion, including pregnancy coercion, contraceptive sabotage and behaviors to control pregnancy outcomes. Not only do these behaviors adversely affect an individual's physical and mental health, they can also lead to unwanted pregnancies and unnecessary abortions.
Pregnancy coercion
Pregnancy coercion involves any behavior that forces or pressures a partner to become pregnant or not to become pregnant, including verbal threats to get pregnant, forced sexual intercourse, etc. These acts may even be accompanied by substantial violence, causing a significant impact on the victim's life.
Contraception destruction
Contraceptive sabotage refers to the act of destroying contraceptive measures or hindering their use. For example, someone might remove a condom without consent, or intentionally damage a contraceptive device. This not only reflects indifference to your partner's choice, but also a form of psychological and emotional control.
Whether intentional or not, these behaviors profoundly affect people’s sense of control over their own reproduction.
Control pregnancy outcomes
Controlling the outcome of a pregnancy is an attempt to influence a partner's behavior in terminating the pregnancy, including exerting pressure or threatening the other person to have an abortion. These behaviors show serious infringement on partners' decision-making rights, and many studies have pointed out that when there is reproductive coercion between partners, their mental health is often affected.
The prevalence of reproductive coercion
According to surveys, the prevalence of reproductive coercion in the United States is alarming. Approximately 5-30% of women report experiencing reproductive coercion in various settings. Specifically, one survey found that 8.6% of women said a partner had tried to get her pregnant, while 6.7% of men also reported a partner refusing to use birth control.
Situation in different countries
Reproductive coercion is not unique to the United States; many women around the world face similar challenges. In Bangladesh, 10% of married women reported that their partners disagreed with them about contraception. In Jordan, 20% of married women face contraceptive interference from their husbands or other relatives.
Reproductive coercion is a global problem and is potentially dangerous regardless of culture or family structure.
Clinical Practice and Prevention
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that physicians regularly screen patients for reproductive distress during annual exams, especially during prenatal and postpartum care. Several strategies are available to reduce the health consequences of reproductive coercion, such as educating patients about the potential effects of reproductive coercion and providing contraceptive options that are less visible to partners.
For women who are under strong pressure from their partners, the secrecy of contraception may be an important factor in protecting their reproductive autonomy. Research shows that interventions targeting reproductive coercion are effective in reducing a woman's likelihood of becoming pregnant.
Conclusion
Reproductive coercion is a complex and serious social problem that has a significant impact on individuals' reproductive choices and mental health. In this context, all sectors of society should work together to increase understanding and preventive measures of reproductive coercion and further protect everyone's reproductive autonomy. Everyone needs to think about: How should we change the current social atmosphere in the future to better protect everyone’s right to reproductive choice?
