In so many books I read, if there's a female character, by the end of the book, she's either pregnant or has a baby. Regardless of her age, or her financial or social or relationship situation, she has sex, BOOM, pregnant!
I can't tell you how many books I read that end like this. I understand babies are a big part of life, but they're not a part of EVERYBODY's life. If it's a romance book, you can't just end the book with the happy couple being together, they HAVE to have a baby at the end. If it's a thriller with a female main character, she has sex with the villain, you know she's pregnant and keeping the baby, regardless of who the father is. There's a teenager, she loses her virginity, gets pregnant the same night.
Birth control, condoms, morning after pill, even abortion, are never even brought up as options, it's just you have sex, you're pregnant, and you're keeping it, no discussion. And if an abortion does happen (or is mentioned), it's the abusive boyfriend (or somebody else) suggesting it as something he wants, rather than the FMC considering it. Even worse is when the female character learns she's pregnant and instantly feels a "kick" or "flutter" in her tummy and is like "omgggg I'm having a babyyyy and I love it already!" which never happens cause you can't feel the baby move for months.
And don't get me started on childbirth. The water breaks, and she instantly gives birth with no difficulties, no complications, nothing. And she snaps back into shape like it's nothing, and suffers no physical or mental aftermath, no post-partum depression, no woes about her weight, she just instantly loves being a mom more than anything else.
by rachels1231
5 Comments
Posts like these help me realize how expansive the world of reading is, because I am wracking my brain to think of the last book I read involving pregnancy.
There are many things in fiction that aren’t accurate or realistic.
Reproduction is the most fundamental biological urge and likewise is the most fundamental purpose of sex. Just because it is not the exclusive outcome doesn’t mean you should be surprised when it is considered normative.
I read books with female characters quite a bit, and I don’t think I’ve read a book like this possibly ever. Tbf, a ton of them are sapphic romances where getting pregnant is a bit less standard (and harder) than straight romances, but even then I don’t have this with a lot of the more general audience books that I read either.
I would recommend being a bit more picky about what you read, maybe try to diversify what you’re reading. If this is a thing that bothers you, it should be something you can avoid.
As someone who reads romance & avoids books with pregnancy – I think people just really love reading about it. It’s a simple source of drama and tension that (I assume) a lot of people relate to and find fascinating. I have the same gripes as you – why does everyone always get pregnant instantly, never have complications, etc.? I guess for some people that’s the wish fulfillment they’re looking for.