Half of all American pregnancies are unplanned!

The national rate of unplanned pregnancies hasn’t been estimated since 2001. The US Department of Health and Human Services maintains a goal to reduce the amount of unplanned pregnancies here in the US.

A study combined data on women’s pregnancy intentions from the 2006-2008 and 2002 National Survey of Family Growth and a 2008 national survey of abortion patients. They also included other abortion and miscarriage information available through national agencies and surveys.

Researchers found that nearly half of women in 2006 had unintended pregnancies, at 49 percent. This was a one percent increase from studies done in 2001. The unplanned pregnancy rate increased to 52 per 1000 women ages 15-44 in 2006. 

Younger women living in poor conditions or co-habitating had rates two to three times higher than the national average. Thankfully, unintended pregnancy rates for teens had decreased according to this study. The US hasn’t made progress since 2001 in decreasing unintended pregnancies as they have wished to do. 

(Source)