Every woman should know what reproductive coercion is – so we can start to protect ourselves from it. 

‘Reproductive coercion’ is any action that interferes with a woman making her own free and independent decisions about whether she wants to have a baby or not. According to Rowlands et al. (2022), it can concern:

 

1. Becoming Pregnant. This can look like:

• • • Pressure to become pregnant from your partner.
    • There may be pressure to not use birth control, such as saying that it interferes with the mood or enjoyment, or isn’t needed.
    • Social pressure may be used – such as getting other people to encourage you to have a baby, or telling others you are trying for a baby (when you aren’t – or don’t want to).
    • There may be repeated fights about becoming pregnant.
    • Birth control may be sabotaged (for example, condoms are damaged), hidden, or thrown out (for example, your contraceptive pills suddenly go missing). There may be an agreement to use the withdrawal method, but your partner stops withdrawing.
    • There may be threats – that the relationship will end if you aren’t trying for a baby, or that you may be harmed if you won’t consider pregnancy.
    • Getting to the doctor or a pharmacy may be prevented or restricted, for example, through another huge fight, or refusing to take you (or let you go). This prevents you from accessing contraception.
    • There may be incentives to become pregnant, for example, your partner saying they will propose if you become pregnant, or to treat you extra specially throughout your pregnancy.

 

2. Terminating a Pregnancy. This can look like:

• • • Pressure to terminate a wanted pregnancy.
    • There may be repeated fights about your partner wanting to end the pregnancy, with insults and accusations hurled against you for wanting otherwise.
    • There may be threats or veiled threats, for example, that you or the baby will be harmed if the pregnancy continues, or the relationship will end.
    • Incentives offered to end the pregnancy, for example, that you’ll be able to take that dream holiday finally, get married, or something else.

 

3. Continuing a Pregnancy. This can look like:

• • • Pressure to continue a pregnancy when you don’t want to, or are unsure if you want to. This may also involve using social pressure, for example, announcing the pregnancy early to friends or family – despite your wishes for privacy.
    • Interfering with accessing a doctor or family planning clinics, to prevent an abortion. This may be direct (for example, refusing to take you), or more subtle (for example, starting a huge fight to prevent you leaving the house each time you try to go).
    • There may be threats, for example, that the relationship will end if the pregnancy does.
    • There may be repeated fights about your wishes to end a pregnancy, with insults and accusations hurled against you for wanting otherwise.
    • There may be incentives to continue an unwanted pregnancy, for example, your partner promising to stop cheating, to marry you, to buy you gifts, or something else.

 

Reproductive coercion often comes from partners, but family members or in-laws can also perpetrate it.

There is an overlap between reproductive coercion and domestic violence. It can be another form of power and control used by an abusive or controlling partner, although violence does not need to be present for reproductive coercion to occur.

If reading all of this is distressing, I’m sorry – it’s because these are distressing acts. A lived experience of them is distressing. It should never happen.

Women need to know what reproductive coercion looks like, so if it happens to you or someone you care about, it’s clear what is happening. This way, you can focus on what it is that you really want – and use this as your compass.