The Timing of Pregnancy: Women’s Interpretations of Planned and Unplanned Pregnancy

Elena Neiterman; Yvonne LeBlanc

doi:10.18778/1733-8077.14.1.03

Authors

Elena Neiterman University of Waterloo, Canada
Yvonne LeBlanc McMaster University, Canada

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8077.14.1.03

Keywords:

Pregnancy, Planned and Unplanned Pregnancy, Timing, Women’s Interpretations, Transition to Motherhood

Abstract

In this paper, we apply the concept of timing to explore the meaning that women attach towards planned and unplanned pregnancy. We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews with 42 Canadian women who were pregnant or recently gave birth to examine how they experience the transition to motherhood. We contend that the timing of pregnancy is a socially constructed norm that impacts women through a complex range of life events and circumstances. Participants’ accounts suggest a gamut of compliance, ambivalence, and defiance towards the “timing of pregnancy” standards. Situating women’s decisions on childbearing within the continuum of their life trajectories and societal expectations surrounding pregnancy allows for better understanding of the interplay between women’s personal choices and the social norms informing these decisions.

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Author Biographies

Elena Neiterman, University of Waterloo, Canada

Elena Neiterman is a Lecturer at the School of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo. She received her doctoral degree in sociology from McMaster University. Her research interests include sociology of health and illness, women’s health, sociology of the body, and qualitative research methods.

Yvonne LeBlanc, McMaster University, Canada

Yvonne LeBlanc is a medical sociologist who completed her doctoral degree at McMaster University. Her research and teaching interests include health, aging, gender, and qualitative methodologies. She is currently employed as an instructor in the Health, Aging, and Society Department at McMaster University.

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