By Madison Reinschmidt
I’m the type of person who always has a plan. My friends refer to me as the “mom” of the group, since I am usually the one to book us a weekend getaway, precook all the meals and write a tentative itinerary for our outings. I love planning and having something to look forward to. And while this can be a positive trait, it can also be detrimental when life doesn’t go as I had hoped. I struggle with flexibility and the fear of the unknown. I struggle with the idea of not having my life under control.
Although I have never had to deal with a life altering situation such as pregnancy, I can sympathize with the fears a new mother may have while expecting. Whether a pregnancy is planned or unexpected, there are many factors that are out of the mother’s control and many unknowns that a parent may have. I have always had an interest in becoming a mother one day, but the more I learn about childbirth and its risks, the more questions and concerns I have.
Women of every race and age deserve to have the answers to their questions and the resources they need to have a safe and healthy pregnancy. However, not every woman has the support and knowledge to make the reproductive decisions that will be best for them. According to an article published by Edward-Elmhurst Health, 80 percent of women face fears of pregnancy and childbirth. These fears and worries include pain, miscarriage, birth defects, damage to the mother’s body, death of the mother or the baby and the unknown.
Fears of the unknown can lead women to never have children (even when wanting them), terminating pregnancy or requesting elected c-sections (decisions that should be determined by each individual according to their needs). I believe that women should be supported in all of their reproductive decisions, whether that means having a child through different means or not having a child at all. But, all women should be provided with the proper resources, knowledge and support to have the best outcome in their reproductive and pregnancy choices. By providing women with the resources and moral support they need, the fears of the unknown can be less daunting.
Family support and the support of a partner is incredibly important for women to feel as if they are capable of having a successful pregnancy. According to Statista, 40.5% of births in 2020 were from unmarried women. While this may not mean that these mothers were without support, it does indicate that many women may face a lack of stability from a partner while having a child. In some cases, women may not have support from their families or their partners, making pregnancy a scary experience.
But, there are programs that can help. Group prenatal visits, such as the ones provided by CenteringPregnancy, can support women who don’t have the resources they need to feel secure in their decisions. These group visits can provide a sense of community for those who need it, even specifically targeting women of minorities who may appreciate support from those of a similar background.
There are many resources that women can utilize during their pregnancies, which I will discuss further while researching this topic. While worrying and having fears may be an imminent part of being pregnant, new parents should not fret while on this journey, because of the organizations that are available to support.