Men prefer input on partner's abortion

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INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Unmarried U.S. men living with female partners say they would prefer to have input on decisions about aborting an unexpected pregnancy, researchers say.

Amanda J. Miller of the University of Indianapolis and Sharon Sassler of Cornell University conducted in-depth interviews with 61 men ages 18-36 about reproductive choices they have made and would prefer to make. The men were categorized as either working class or middle class based on their education.

Some said they were always pro-life or always believed that pregnancy decisions should be made by women, but most said their opinions on whether to terminate a pregnancy would depend on situational factors, including finance, evaluations of their own maturity and the quality of their relationship with their partners. A significant number noted that their preferences had changed over time, while others suggested their views might shift depending on their circumstances.

The middle-class men were more likely to feel prepared for fatherhood, in part because they had opportunities to complete their educations and felt secure in their careers.

"Having already achieved other markers of readiness through their educational, career and financial successes, adding the other elements of a child and, in turn, a wife to the mix may seem less daunting," Miller explained.

The study, published in the Sociological Forum, found working-class men more often preferred that their partners opt for abortion because they felt unprepared in terms of their own financial circumstances or were not yet emotionally mature enough for parenthood.

A sub-sample of 22 men experienced pregnancies in their relationships. Nearly all said they wanted to have input, but most were not involved in their partners' decisions, particularly if their partners opted for an abortion, Miller added.