Cynthia Beavin

A Genealogical Study of Unintended Pregnancy

For several decades, researchers and policymakers in the United States have considered unintended pregnancy a major health and social problem. However, unintended pregnancy has also suffered from numerous problems, creating debate about the present and future use of unintended pregnancy in policy, practice, and research. Knowing that scientific concepts, like unintended pregnancy, are influenced by historical context, cultural values, and power structures, this study examines the social processes that shape the emergence, meaning, and use of unintended pregnancy. By using a critical discourse analysis of historical documents produced by experts on unintended pregnancy, we may answer the question: Of the many potential ways to measure reproduction, how and why did experts identify unintended pregnancy as a dominant health and social problem?