Myth Pregnant Contagious, Really So?

Sometimes, women in the same circle of friends can get pregnant simultaneously. Or at least, the distance between the ages of pregnancy between one and the other is not very far. Whether the myth is pregnant or not, there is an adequate analysis unique: pregnancy is contagious!

It turns out that this wonder not only crossed the minds of a few people, because researchers from the American Sociological Review review it in the journal "Does Fertility Behavior Spread among Friends?" 2014 ago.

The context is the same, namely discussing the social nature of adult women giving birth to their first child at the age of 25 years. From investigations conducted, it is evident that infectious pregnancy is not just a myth of pregnancy, but it is very possible.

Pregnancy myths and major changes to motherhood

There are indeed many pregnant myths that develop and each person can become different perceptions. When the matter is about getting pregnant is contagious, certainly not proven if linked together with medical aspects.

However, the conditions will be different when it comes to psychological aspects. Who says friendship cannot influence someone's decision to become pregnant and be ready to become a parent? Certainly can.

The analogy is like this.

It is possible that in a circle of friends who are both married, the concept of being pregnant or having children hasn't crossed because of many other considerations. But when there is one or more of those who are pregnant, giving birth, and the continuation of becoming a mother, it can affect those who have not.

Those who were not sure, became convinced. Those who had doubts had become even more determined.

Moreover, the first pregnancy also adds a lot of impact variation. First, know financial affairs. Expenditures will be far more than together when not yet pregnant.

The second and most absolute connection with "contagious pregnancy" is social impact. Lifestyle, friendship, until one's career will no longer be the same as before.

It is like when they become parents, they can no longer freely watch the concert until late at night. Careers also sometimes become the umpteenth priority when more absolute affairs are available regarding children. Friendship? Sometimes just gathering is rare.

Clearly, there are many social impacts or costs that must be sacrificed. Well, when someone faces it together, you will see a sense of "fate and continuity". The thing that initially became a burden could have been they laughed together with or felt lighter because there was a place to share.

That is, social norms are part of the dynamics of social impact.

Circle of friendship and influence

Unlike being close to a person together with a sibling or cousin who has been lined up since birth, the closeness between a woman along with her friend or closest group is voluntary.

There is full awareness there. That is, when a woman is close together with same-sex friends, it is because of the harmony of characteristics and behaviors available. This is where social consensus can be formed together easily.

Interestingly, this also applies to matters of pregnancy. When a woman is pregnant, giving birth, and breastfeeding for the first time, there are many things that will be shared with her friends.

Not only about information about how the system is pregnant or giving birth, but also emotions and how they feel. At this step, there is a mechanism available that makes a friend feel like they want to do the same thing.

There are 3 mechanisms of ‘contagion’ this character, namely:

•     Social influence

Consensus in a circle of friendships can affect the nature of those who are also in it. A woman does not want to feel "left behind" when other friends have assumed a new role as a mother.

•     Social learning

When someone studies from his friend, also in the transition business pursue a new role as a mother or parent.

•     Cost-sharing

There are financial benefits when it can be shared or coordinated in matters of caring for children or activities around it.

Take a decade of research

Research that increasingly breaks the myth of contagious pregnancy was done on 1,720 women who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (ADD Health) in the United States.

No half-hearted, this research was carried out for a decade since the middle of the year. 1990s to mid th. 2000. Their age at the beginning of the study was approximately 15 years. up to 10 years. then at 25 years old.

During the interview, they were asked to write 10 circle of friends. The main focus of research is friendship in high school.

As a result, a person's desire to get pregnant rises together meaningfully when his friend experiences the same thing. Even this will still be felt up to 2 years. forever.

Have an effect on quantity of children

Furthermore, it turns out the impact of friendship is not only about the provisions of pregnancy or not. Even the quantity of children can also be influenced by a circle of friends.

Different from one another, the social mechanism of each circle of friendship can influence whether or not there are many children. They may have an argument about the advantages of having many children, or even have a reason why they are not obliged to have more than one child.

Then, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, this issue only affects within the circle of friends. It's not the same thing when it's about being in a relationship with you.

In a population that is increasingly concerned with individualism at this time, sometimes colleagues hold more important positions than with relatives or other family members. Decisions taken over can also have a more significant impact.

So, still believe that contagious pregnancy is a myth of pregnancy?

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