Reproductive Rights and Informed Consent: Toward a More Inclusive Discourse

Abstract

In the past 2 years, a record number of abortion restrictions have been proposed and enacted in the United States. Such restrictions include parental notification and consent laws, mandatory waiting periods, preabortion counseling, sonogram requirements, and restrictions on late-term abortions. These restrictions are often positioned in the language of informed consent with legislators and policymakers asserting that women regret abortions, are physically and psychologically harmed by them, and are advantaged by continuing their pregnancies to term. In this paper, I position these restrictions, as well as ideas about parenting, within a framework of pronatalism, an ideology that venerates parenting as normative and desirable, and generally disparages other choices surrounding reproductive choices, particularly for women. Research about the incidence and impact of abortion on women's lives, as well as the physiological, psychological, financial, and other effects of pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting on adults' well-being, is presented. Myths pertaining to abortion and parenting are explored. Recommendations for psychologists conclude the article.

A Reproductive Justice Approach to Women's Health

“…Reproductive justice is a broader concept, situated firmly in the movement for social justice and based on a principle of positive rights. The author then shows how the articles by Mollen (2014) and DeLucca and Lobel (2014) both reflect and contribute to our understanding of reproductive justice.…”

“…Reproductive justice activists are concerned about everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or marital status. The articles by Mollen () on pronatalism and people's attitudes toward and beliefs about abortion and DeLuca and Lobel () on the role of control and expectations in women's birthing experiences and postpartum adjustment fit within our broad conceptualization of reproductive justice.…”

“Nobody Ever Asks Me:” A Reproductive Justice Approach to Rural Health Disparities

“…These disparities contribute to a gender imbalance among rural women where women of color experience negative health outcomes twofold compared to nonmarginalized groups (Averitt Taylor, 2014;Gaston, 2001;Hargraves, 2002). Additionally, reproductive health physicians and activists must balance contraceptive access and family planning programs with a legacy of reproductive oppression and coerced sterilization (Hooton, 2005;Meier, Sundstrom, & DeMaria, 2015;Roberts, 1997). Women of color in particular face a history of government sanctioned sterilization and coercive contraceptive counseling, such as promoting particular methods (e.g., Norplant) for low-income women and women of color in order to limit their reproduction.…”

“…Dominant political discourse promotes opposing positions on motherhood by framing motherhood as necessary for fulfillment without discussion of obligations that may result in dissatisfactory emotional and financial situations, leaving women distressed and unfulfilled. Simultaneously, access to appropriate reproductive health care continues to decrease across South Carolina and rural areas, further limiting women's ability to make informed choices regarding motherhood (Mollen, ). A history of political conservatism in South Carolina includes attacks on reproductive autonomy, such as coercive contraceptive counseling, particularly in vulnerable populations (Roberts, ; Ross & Solinger, ).…”

Regret, shame, and denials of women's voluntary sterilization

“…53 The impact of pronatalism on medical and institutional structures has already been found and critiqued by those analyzing abortion regret. 54 Analogous to post-sterilization regret, women are often taken to be at high risk of regretting their decision to undergo an abortion and the possibility of future regret has been a common reason to deny abortions or to dissuade women from seeking an abortion.…”