A story about this topic was published approximately one year ago, and its relevance has only increased in the intervening period.
A study conducted by Lifeway Research revealed that approximately 40% of men whose partner or spouse had an abortion indicated that they played the most influential role in the decision to terminate the pregnancy. This information was conveyed by Michael Gryboski.
The study, sponsored by Care Net, included 1,000 men who had a female partner undergo an abortion and were aware of their significant other’s pregnancy prior to the termination of the pregnancy. Indeed, three-quarters (74%) of men indicated that their partner had discussed the matter with them prior to undergoing an abortion.
Lifeway reported that 38% of men indicated that they had the greatest influence on the decision to abort. Subsequently, 18% of respondents indicated that it was a medical professional who influenced their partner’s decision to terminate the pregnancy, while 14% attributed this influence to the woman’s mother. Gryboski observed that only 4% of respondents indicated that the abortion provider was the primary influence on their partner’s decision to abort.
“In 2015, when we surveyed women who had an abortion, they indicated men were the most influential factor in their decision,” said Care Net CEO Roland Warren in a statement.
“Care Net recognized that despite this influence, the role of men had not yet been explored. This new study directly examines their feelings and experiences when the decision to have an abortion was made.”
The survey also found that 42% of men had either “strongly urged” or “suggested” that their female partner get an abortion, while 31% did not give her any advice. Only 8% said they “strongly urged” against having an abortion.
About 34% of respondents were married to the women who got an abortion, while 29% were “living together” and another 29% were “seeing each other.”
In an interview with the Christian Post, Lisa Hogan, the executive director of the Sav-A-Life Vestavia pregnancy resource center in Alabama, stated that her clinic has endeavored to enhance its efforts to include fathers.
When a woman calls to schedule a pregnancy test or ultrasound, and if she is contemplating abortion, the center encourages her to bring the father of the child to the appointment.
The clinic employs male advocates who are trained to engage in one-on-one conversations with fathers to facilitate their understanding of the process and to provide them with a voice in the proceedings.
Hogan observed that her clinic encounters approximately 1,000 fathers annually, informing them that “if she is pregnant, then they are already a dad.”
“We are aware that if the father is engaged, we will have a more favorable long-term outcome for the child,” she added.
Chelsea Garcia is a political writer with a special interest in international relations and social issues. Events surrounding the war in Ukraine and the war in Israel are a major focus for political journalists. But as a former local reporter, she is also interested in national politics.
Chelsea Garcia studied media, communication and political science in Texas, USA, and learned the journalistic trade during an internship at a daily newspaper. In addition to her political writing, she is pursuing a master's degree in multimedia and writing at Texas.
