Societal Pressure to Get Pregnant

Society can put a ton of pressure on women.

Society has set expectations for women to get pregnant by a certain time and age. Who gave society the right to set these expectations of women? Societal and emotional pressures can affect a women’s mental health causing stress, anxiety, guilt, and depression. It is up to each individual to decide what is best for themselves without feeling distress and pressure from others.

Society has made it acceptable and has assumed it is the “norm” to ask, “When are you going to get pregnant?”, “When are you going to have another baby?”. Therefore, it is important to create boundaries with the people asking these questions. It can be helpful for your mental health to communicate with those whom are placing pressure on you to respect your boundaries.

It is important to consider whether someone is or is not ready to have children. Did you consider they possibly do not want children? What if they are struggling privately to have children? The individuals asking these questions might not be aware that these questions come off intrusive and insensitive. Having an open conversation, creates a dialogue which can educate individuals and create a shift from these questions being the “norm. There is power in dictating your own path.