I forgot to take my pill...
How many times has this thought crossed your mind?
Kourtney Kardashian recently announced that she is unexpectedly pregnant. While semi-celebrity baby bumps might not be that interesting to most, what's unusual is that she has admitted that the reason she got pregnant is because she used the pill inconsistently. In her own words Kourtney admits, "This probably sounds so dumb, but there's so many times I'll forget to take my pill and I don't think it's that big of a deal, it's just so stupid." While the birth control pill-- the most popular form of birth control in the U.S.--is very effective (you have a 99% chance of avoiding pregnancy if you take the pill), it is only as effective as the user. Nationally, nearly half of all women who have an unplanned pregnancy were using a method of contraception when they got pregnant. Digging a little deeper, half of women who have an unplanned pregnancy and birth admit that although they were using a method, they weren't using it correctly when they got pregnant.
For some of us, remembering to take the pill is easy and has become routine, but for others who are often forgetting to take their pill there might be another way. Consider other birth control options that experts often label as "forgettable". These include methods such as the vaginal ring, which is monthly, the IUD , which lasts 5-10 years, or the implant, which lasts up to 3 years. A method that I don't have to remember sounds great to me, what do you think?
It is unusual that she chose to explain how she ended up with an unplanned pregnancy. Like everyone, I have a few friends who have had surprise pregnancies or at least pregnancy scares. Rarely do they say how this was possible and rarely does anyone ask. Sort of strange.
I think if we were leaving some other major life decision up to chance people might ask why. You accidentally got married. How!?!? You mistakenly bought a house? Why!?!?! But say you mistakenly got pregnant and people act as if it's sort of unavoidable and not a big deal and thus doesn't really need an explanation.
I appreciate her honesty. Great point, Peter--it's funny that acknowledging unplanned pregnancy is so taboo. I venture that people hesitate to talk about unplanned pregnancy since it necessarily leads either to a child (no one wants to call a child a mistake), or two one of two other uncomfortable topics--abortion or miscarriage.
I wish her family hadn't been quite so thrilled that she is pregnant under the circumstances. This baby is blessed to be part of a family that has resources, unlike the teen mothers I know. It just sends a wrong message.