Chapter 11 starts off with talking about how pregnancies are family affairs because both parents typically worry about the developing baby and look forward to its birth with great anticipation. The chapter then goes into discussing the benefits and costs of having children. The benefits of having children include emotional fulfillment and personal satisfaction. The costs of having children include high expenses and a decline in marital satisfaction. The chapter then goes into discussing the wide spread myth that an instant bonding occurs between a mother and her newborn. Not only mothers, but fathers, siblings, grandparents, and friends influence children. A serious problem that affects up to 15 percent of mothers within the first year after giving birth is postpartum depression. Women who experience postpartum depression feel sad, hopeless, worthless, and have trouble caring for the baby. This chapter then goes into talking about how a majority of Americans say that two children is the ideal number to have. The total fertility rate describes the average number of children born to a woman during her lifetime. Fertility patterns have changed because of macro and micro level factors. It is said that the United States has the highest infant mortality rate. The infant mortality rate is defined as the number of babies under one year of age who die per 1,000 live births in a given year. Both micro and macro level factors affect decisions to postpone parenthood. The chapter then goes into discussing the term infertility. Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive a baby. Infertility affects about 15 percent of all couples of reproductive age. Infertility is due about equally to problems in males and females. Moving into the topic of adoption, the text defines adoption as taking a child into one’s family through legal means and raising her or him as one’s own. A foster child is one who is placed by a government agency or a court in the care of someone other than his or her biological parents. An open adoption is the practice of sharing information and maintaining contact between biological and adoptive parents throughout the child’s life. In a closed adoption, the records of the adoption are kept sealed, the birth parent is not involved in the adoptees life, and the child has no contact with the biological parents or little, if any, information about them. The most obvious benefit of adoption is that adoptive parents and abandoned children find people to love. The chapter then goes into discussing the topic of abortion. Abortion is the expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus. Some of the most frequently cited reasons for getting an abortion include: not being ready for motherhood and having to leave a job because of the inability to pay for child care services. The topic of abortion is still a highly debated topic in the United States.
I found it very interesting to read how the majority of Americans say that two children is the ideal number, and few people want more than three. I have always been around people who dream of having a big family, 4 or 5 kids. I know for me, I would ideally want 4 children. I was a little surprised when I read that the ideal number was 2 children.
The question that I have for the class is a frequently asked question but I feel that it needs to be addressed. What are people’s views on the topic of abortion? Do you agree with it? Why or why not.
Maria Nicholas
I feel as though people's views on abortion correlate with how religious a person is. People who are religious (i.e. me) feel as though abortion is morally wrong and steps should be taken to prevent pregnancy and if they're not the parent has a responsibility to keep the child. However, I don't believe that people that get abortions should be crucified either. I have a moderate view. I believe it's wrong, but if you choose to have an abortion I respect your decision. Those who are less religious, spiritual, or even atheist have more of a pro-choice view in my opinion. Not all people that fall in these categories may believe abortion is ethical, but I think you're more likely to find pro-choice individuals within those groups. It all depends on a person's morals and values and how they view the importance of life and what constitutes life within being (embryo) once it's been conceived as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Faith on the fact that steps should be taken to prevent unwanted/unplanned pregnancy and if those steps aren't taken, both parties need to take responsibility. However, I believe that abortion is acceptable if there are health risks for the mother or in cases of rape.
ReplyDeleteI am pro-choice. I guess I would fall into the group of people that Faith would call "less religious", but I do not think that that is the only reasoning behind why I feel that way. I definitely agree with Kazzandra that abortion is acceptable if there is a health issue or if a woman was raped. But the main reason I am pro-choice is because I feel like I have no power or control (nor do i want it) to tell another woman how to live her life. If she wants to abort her child it should be her decision; a decision she will have to live with. I feel like matters like this (and gay marriage for instance) are matters that do not concern me, unless I am the one having the abortion. I will never be able to answer if I would or would not have an abortion until I am put in that situation. However, I do not think it is okay for people to use abortion as a type of contraception.
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