Public reproductive health and 'unintended' pregnancies: introducing the construct 'supportability'.
In this Perspectives paper, I outline the limitations of the concept of 'intentionality' in public reproductive health understandings of pregnancy. 'Intentionality', 'plannedness', 'wantedness' and 'timing' place individual cognitions, psychology and/or behaviors at the center of public health conceptualizations of pregnancies, thereby leaving the underlying social and structural dynamics under-examined. I propose a model that places 'supportability' at the center of thinking about pregnancies and that allows for an analysis of the intersection of individual cognitions, emotions and behavior with micro-level interactive spaces and macro-level issues.
Critical Studies in Sexualities and Reproduction Research Programme, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa.
Catriona Ida
CI
Macleod
D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011247:Pregnancy; D049168:Pregnancy, Unplanned / Q000523:psychology*; D011584:Psychology; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012307:Risk Factors
mistimed pregnancy; public reproductive health; unintended pregnancy; unplanned pregnancy; unwanted pregnancy