The “untraditional” ways of having a child before marriage are becoming the norm.
Sometimes pregnancy before marriage happens on purpose, but many times it doesn’t. There are plenty of women who become pregnant without marriage.
In fact, it appears that “untraditional” ways of having a child before marriage are becoming the norm.
Getting pregnant before marriage may not be the dream of many women, but it has become an idea that they are okay with.
Not many even think of the pros and cons of having a baby before marriage, but instead, choose to just go with the flow.
Many successful, well-adjusted children come from homes where parents are unmarried, or from single-mother households.
However, before embarking on this critical decision, here are some reasons why pregnancy before marriage or being pregnant and not married isn’t necessarily the best idea.
- Marriage should be a commitment separate from pregnancy
When you have a pregnancy before marriage, it can sometimes pressure the couple into getting married, or just speed up the decision of marriage for the sake of the child.
This may or may not be a bad thing, depending on the commitment of the couple and their willingness to work on the marriage relationship and also rear the child together. However, marriage should be a commitment separate from pregnancy.
- Research shows children born outside marriage face many risks
Pregnancy before marriage can create issues in the long term, even for the unborn child. Many studies have been done that show children before marriage face several risk factors. According to a study, children before marriage (who are born outside of marriage) face an elevated risk of falling into poverty.
With just the woman supporting the baby before marriage and trying to care for herself during pregnancy and then a newborn, the woman is more likely to have to drop out of school.
- Marriage offers security and safety
You might wonder why you should get married before having a baby if you are in a stable and secure relationship with your partner.
Of course, you can be committed to your partner and decide about having a baby before getting married. But to a child, knowing your parents are married speaks volumes. There is stability and safety that comes when you know your parents are married.
- Legal ramifications for unwed parents
Pregnant and not married? This is not just a taboo question posed by society. There are some excellent legal reasons to wait to have a baby and get married before planning for pregnancy.
For parents experiencing a pre-marriage pregnancy, you must know the laws that govern parenting. It differs from state to state, so look into laws specific to your state of residence. In a very basic sense, married parents tend to have more legal rights than unwed parents.
So having a child before marriage may seem like an okay thing to do at that time, but it may really put a strain on the relationship later on if such issues arise after that.