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My grandmother had 11 children and while it’s great to come from a big family, if that were to happen now, I doubt anyone could afford it. Children are expensive, especially when they’re unplanned. Unintended pregnancies cost American taxpayers $21 billion each year, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
About half of U.S. pregnancies are unplanned and public insurance programs like Medicaid pay for almost 70% of those. According to the study, publicly funded births cost $12,770 in prenatal care, labor and delivery, postpartum care and the first year of infant care, and another $7,947 for months 13-60—over $20,000 per birth.
On the other hand, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports a decline in births since 2013. The reasons for this vary from culture to being able to afford multiple children. Many women put their careers ahead of them and postpone having children until they’re in their late 30’s or even 40’s. Yet, for Hispanic women, the fertility rate is at almost 20%, which is no surprise because Hispanics now make the largest minority.
Many critics say that it’s important to plan a child, especially if you can’t afford one. Yet, for Hispanic women, religion plays a part on whether they should get an abortion when they have an unplanned pregnancy. Others believe that even though they can’t afford to have a child, it’s now or never. Plus, one of the biggest fears of women is missing out on the opportunity to become a mother.
The miracle of life comes with a hefty price tag, but it’s something that will always be up for debate. Planned or unplanned pregnancy, you be the judge. What’s worked for you?
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