UC Berkeley

BACKGROUND:It is well-established that current measures of pregnancy intentions fail to capture the complexity of couples' lived experiences and decisions regarding reproductive decision making. Despite limitations, these measures guide programs, policy, and clinical practice. Herein, we explore prospective pregnancy acceptability, which captures whether individuals anticipate considering an unexpected pregnancy welcomed, manageable, or okay. METHODS:Individual qualitative interviews were conducted with 50 young (ages 18-24 years) women and their male partners (N = 100) to elucidate prospective pregnancy desires and perspectives on pregnancy planning. Using a thematic approach, we analyzed data from a subsample (n = 88) of participants who did not currently desire a pregnancy. RESULTS:Despite lack of pregnancy desire, 37 participants indicated that a pregnancy would be acceptable. Several themes emerged as reasons for pregnancy acceptability, including feeling prepared for children, relational stability, having knowledge of what it takes to parent, and taking a "whatever happens" approach toward pregnancy planning. Notably, a number of reasons for pregnancy acceptability were also described as reasons for lack of acceptability. For example, although many parents in the sample found pregnancy acceptable owing to their knowledge of the time and resources that raising children required, other parents found pregnancy unacceptable for this same reason. CONCLUSIONS:Acceptability captures nuances of prospective views on pregnancy and what it means for young people's lives that current intentions language and framing often neglects. Additionally, acceptability may be a construct that resonates with the perspectives and lives of young people for whom the notion of active pregnancy planning is not salient.