What contributes to pregnancy intendedness? Insights from the Dutch BluePrInt study using a conceptual hierarchical model
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Background
Pregnancy intentions are shaped by interrelated factors across individual, relational and societal contexts. This study employs a Conceptual Hierarchical Model (CHM) to examine pregnancy intentions among womxn and their partners.
Methods
Data were drawn from baseline measurements of the Dutch prospective BluePrInt study on unintended pregnancy. It included 911 participants (womxn and partners) who recently experienced an unexpected pregnancy, which they aborted or continued. Pregnancy intentions were assessed using the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy. Key variables included sociodemographics, social support, partner relationship, interpersonal violence, and mental health. A CHM guided multiple regression analyses, with additional analysis of sex differences.
Results
Findings indicated that educational attainment and social support were indirectly associated with pregnancy intendedness, while age, religiosity, cohabitation, and life satisfaction showed direct associations, with no evidence of a moderating effect of sex.
Conclusions
People who perceive their context as suitable for raising a child, who feel supported, and who have greater personal capacity to parent, perceive their initially unexpected pregnancy as more intended. Policies should promote social and relational stability universally, rather than targeting those experiencing unintended pregnancies. Reproductive counseling should address ambivalence and broader personal circumstances.
