‘Women should feel the space to make the choice’
Image: Getty Images
What if the positive test doesn’t give you butterflies, but pain in your stomach? What if you are not (yet) ready to become a mother? Or if the family already feels complete? Anyone can get an unwanted pregnancy, but what choice do you make? And on what basis?
Unwanted pregnancy? Surely that doesn’t happen to me? most people think. And yet 1 in 5 women will have to deal with it in her life. The fact that the two are not consistent with each other has to do with the prejudices that we still have. They are rather persistent and, above all, not true. This is what Ellen Giepmans, director of the Fiom expertise center says. “Such as: only teenage girls get pregnant unintentionally, women with many changing contacts or who do not use contraception. That is not true. Most unintended pregnancies are between 25 and 35 years old. 3 out of 4 also have a permanent relationship and in 95 percent of the cases the partner is also the originator. It really can happen to anyone.” But it doesn’t feel that way for many unwanted pregnancies.
‘It won’t happen to me’
“If you also thought ‘it won’t happen to me’ and it will happen to you, it does something to the image you had of yourself. Most women are very hard on themselves. They judge themselves and on top of that they also have to deal with judgments from others.” Think of the protesters in front of the abortion clinic or Lize Korpershoek who received furious reactions after a candid column about her abortion. “While it is so important that women feel the space to make the choice that suits them.”
Choice
But how do you make such a choice? Recent research shows that 41 percent of women with an unwanted pregnancy need information about the options and 42 percent about where they can go for help. There is plenty of that information, certainly online. Only… what is written is not always correct. Or has been taken out of context. And that while neutral and reliable information about all options is so important right now.
“Women should feel the space to make the choice that suits them”
Giepmans: “Due to the abolition of the mandatory reflection period for abortion last January 1, the pregnant woman is even more in charge. It is of course positive that the freedom of choice for women has become so greater, just as that they will soon be able to get the abortion pill from their GP. Especially for the women who immediately know that they do not want to become a mother (or not again). The elimination of the cooling-off period gives unintentionally pregnant women more freedom and allows them to make a well-considered decision at their own pace. Because they are given more control, it is especially important now that they can find reliable information.”
Platform
Fortunately there is now infopuntonbedoeldzwanger.nl. A platform set up on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). Here you will find all information about the options together and you can chat or call (0800-6160) 24/7 with an information officer.
Giepmans: “With the platform, we hope that women get the information and help they need to make an informed choice. It is often an uncertain period, for women and men, in which it can be difficult to make a clear choice. Panic often dominates.”
“Our goal is to reassure you and help you make a well-considered choice. The more consciously you choose, the ‘easier’ it is to bear the consequences of that choice. When you have weighed everything up, it brings peace. Whatever choice you make.”
Post Views: 0
