Forever Pregnant

[cinderly317]

I first saw this article in
lostinarden's lj.  This article really, really pissed me off and I'm sure that it  will anger many of you who check it out.  Basically, these are the reasons why the article angered me:

1. I do not exist to reproduce.  I'm sure having children is an amazing experience which I will one day experience for myself, but regardless, my purpose in life is not just to have children.  The way this article approaches this topic, it implies that from the moment a woman is able to have children until the point when she is unable to, women exist only to have children and are of no other substantial worth.  There are so many things wrong with this way of thinking.  (However, I should point out that once women are able to conceive, they should be very active in their choices that may or may not result in pregnacies.)
2. Women should lead healthy lives by eating right, exercising, not smoking, etc. for themselves, not just because there is a possibility that they will get pregnant.  Women should make these changes in their lives so that they can live long, healthy, fulfilling lives, that consequently might some day include children.  Women should be told to respect themselves enough and care for themselves enough to make these changes for themselves.
3. As far as the comment about the lack of progress in reducing infant mortality, low birth weight, and premature births "in part because of inconsistent delivery and implementation of interventions before pregnancy to detect, treat and help women modify behaviors, health conditions and risk factors that contribute to adverse maternal and infant outcomes", health-care for everyone could significantly improve this conditions.  As stated later on in the article, millions of women, particularly minority women, can't afford health-care, and therefore do not receive proper medical treatment and have significantly higher infant mortality rates.  If the U.S. provided health-care for all of its citizens, more of these children would have a greater chance at surviving.  And I believe that this would have a larger impact on rates than treating every woman who is able to conceive as pre-pregnant.
   
4. The article mentions Japan, Norway, Finland, & Iceland's low infant mortality rate...well, in 2000, the WHO listed Japan as having the number 10, health-care system in the world, Norway-11, Iceland-15, Finland-31.  Good ole' U.S. of A came in at number 36.  Perhaps that's an indication that our health-care system could definitely use some improvement?
5. The average American female gets their first period at the age of 10.  Are you seriously telling me that a 10 year old should be preparing for a potential pregnancy???  That's ridiculous.  I'm certainly not going to pump my 10 year old daughter full of folic acid because she's able to conceive.  But you can sure as hell bet that I will be telling her about the adverse affects of smoking, drinking, unprotected sex, etc.

My overall advice?  Increase sex ed in schools.  If everyone can't afford health-care, then we need health-care initiatives that talk about pregnancy prevention and pregnancy health-care that is accessible to those who can't afford health-care and don't have access to these resources.  Talk to women about taking care of their bodies to do something good for themselves.  And don't look at women as if they're just some baby-popping machine.

Oh and P.S.-  I'm not about to give up my sister's cat Nemo just because I'm able to get pregnant!