Financial woes mount for pregnant women

AN increasing number of women attending pregnancy counselling services are weighed down with financial concerns, a new report out today reveals.

Well Woman’s head of counselling, Linda Wilson Long, said the financial implication of a crisis pregnancy was being given by more women as a reason for wanting an abortion.

The increased number of pregnant women with financial concerns who sought counselling last year is highlighted in Well Woman’s 2009 annual report to be launched today .

While there would always be many reasons for a crisis pregnancy, financial reasons were presenting more than they used to, said Ms Wilson Long.

“I am not saying that money was not there as a reason before, but there seems to have been a shift in the way concerns are prioritised,” she said.

Ms Wilson Long said between 10% and 15% of women with a crisis or unplanned pregnancy who cited money trouble as reason for seeking an abortion were either married or in long-term relationships.

And, she said, for a further 20% of women considering abortion, who might not have a partner, or who might be attending college, finance seemed to be a theme.

“We would not know for definite what they were going to do, but one of the reasons given again and again to therapists for wanting an abortion is money,” she said.

“Clients are often couples who are married and have a house and children. One or both of them may have lost their job and one or both are on short time.

“They are very unsure about being employed in three or six months time and feel very unsure about disrupting the family and the extra financial pressure that another child will bring,” she said.

Well Woman offers information on options available to clients with a crisis pregnancy – adoption, parenting and abortion.