Not a few pregnancies that occur in those who do not plan. Either because you don’t intend to have more children or you are in another situation where pregnancy is not included in the plan. However, if this surprise were to happen, how should you deal with it? Let’s look at how to deal with an unplanned pregnancy without panicking.
Why do unplanned pregnancies happen?
No matter how old a woman is, as long as she is still menstruating, she still has the possibility to get pregnant. In addition, the use of contraception does not necessarily make pregnancy completely preventable.
Furthermore, here are the reasons pregnancy can happen unplanned:
There is no contraceptive that can be 100% effective
Contraceptives are often effective in preventing pregnancy, but sometimes things go unplanned.
This is because contraceptives generally only have an effectiveness of around 80% to more than 90%.
Even contraceptive methods such as female sterilization or male vasectomy still have less than 1% chance of failure.
The use of contraceptives is not according to the rules
The use of contraceptives that are not as recommended can also increase the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy. For example, such as condoms that leak or are damaged, missed taking birth control pills or missed the schedule for birth control injections.
Generally, the biggest cause of unplanned pregnancies is not ineffective contraceptives, but because couples fail to use contraceptives regularly.
This could be due to not having access to it or having a partner who doesn’t want you to use contraception.
“Missed” before menopause
Many think that after entering a certain age women will not be able to get pregnant. This is a wrong opinion because basically, as long as a woman is not menopausal, it is still possible for a woman to get pregnant.
Therefore, if you are not planning to become pregnant, you should actively try to prevent pregnancy by continuing to use contraception as recommended while you are still having your menstrual cycle.
How to deal with an unplanned pregnancy
While experiencing this shocking reality, there are several ways to deal with an unplanned pregnancy that you can apply, such as:
Allow yourself to feel the emotions
When you find out that you are pregnant unexpectedly, a variety of emotions will usually be felt. You may be surprised, unexpected, happy, or even sad and scared.
This is normal and if you feel negative emotions, reassure yourself that whatever you are feeling is normal. You may need a few days before slowly accepting the fact that you are pregnant.
Face your fears and doubts
Feelings of fear and worry and doubt, often occur when a person experiences an unplanned pregnancy.
Deal with those feelings without having to think about what other people think who wants to embarrass or scare you.
Don’t listen to people judging you because no parent is perfect and focus on what’s best for you.
Find moral support
The next way to deal with an unplanned pregnancy is to find positive, non-judgmental moral support. You will definitely find it from the people around you. This will help build confidence and self-confidence in going through the pregnancy.
Imagine the best of this situation
Visualizing the good can help in many ways, including allaying worries and fears when an unplanned pregnancy occurs.
Try to imagine the things that might happen when everything goes smoothly and well, for example, imagining a child in the womb can bring extra happiness in your life. Stay positive so you realize that things are not going to be as scary as you think.
Pay attention to your health condition
In the current state you may be worried about many things. But the most important thing is to maintain physical and mental health.
Do what you need to do such as regular pregnancy control to the obstetrician to keep the body healthy and the mind calm. With a healthy body and mind, you will be able to better deal with an unplanned pregnancy.
Prepare for your little one’s presence
The way to deal with an unplanned pregnancy that you need to do is to start preparing for the presence of your little one.
You may have to start setting your priorities and lifestyle. Financial preparation, environmental conditions as well as physical and mental conditions also need to be done so that you can be more ready to accept your little one in your life.
Asking for help
In situations that feel heavy or excessive, there is nothing wrong with asking the people around or mental health experts such as psychologists or psychiatrists for help. An unplanned pregnancy will require space and time, as well as support from those around you.
Don’t hesitate to ask and seek the help you need during your pregnancy, especially if this is your first pregnancy.