For decades, the Pro-Life Movement has worked tirelessly to respond to women facing unexpected pregnancies and defend legal protections for the preborn, but new research suggests that the prevalence of abortion reflects a deeper cultural crisis related to relational trust and commitment in modern relationships.
Existing data shows women choose abortion for a variety of complex reasons that are largely multi-factorial. However, many frequently cite relational instability or unreliability of the father as a contributing factor in their decision. In addition, the CDC reports that 87% of women seeking abortions are unmarried, and many are not in a serious relationship with the father of the child.
Abortion research has focused almost exclusively on women’s experiences, but new research from Vitae Foundation into men’s emotional responses to unexpected pregnancy revealed that the quality of the relationship with the mother was one of the strongest predictors of how men responded to the possibility of parenthood.
Men who could envision a future with their partner were significantly more likely to support choosing life. Conversely, men who did not see long-term potential in the relationship were more likely to encourage abortion or remain ambivalent.
In a culture that has increasingly normalized casual sex while deprioritizing commitment and marriage, many perceive abortion as necessary to avoid a lifelong connection to someone they do not see themselves building a future with. A society seemingly cannot sustain such a culture of “sexual freedom” and de-prioritization of commitment without abortion as a backstop.
For leaders of pro-life organizations seeking to end abortion, these trends raise an important question: are we adequately addressing the relational and cultural conditions that make abortion feel necessary in the first place?
Father Wounds and the Relationship Factor
It should not surprise us that younger generations struggle to form strong relationships and question their own judgment in choosing a partner, after witnessing the devastating effects of divorce in previous generations. Many have firsthand experience that they carry into adulthood, shaping the way they approach relationships and commitment.
In fact, one of the striking insights from Vitae’s study was the profound impact of father wounds. Many men interviewed had experienced absent fatherhood themselves and expressed a fierce determination to avoid repeating their fathers’ mistakes, resolving instead to be present and engaged fathers.
Yet past wounds and distrust can still shape how men perceive relationships, even when those fears are not warranted with their current partner. The research indicated that men, in particular, needed a strong sense of trust in their partner and in the relationship before they could envision a future with her that included a child.
Men in short-term or low-trust relationships were significantly more likely to consider abortion, often viewing a child as an extension of a commitment they were unwilling to make. In contrast, men who felt secure in their relationship and emotionally connected to their partner were far more likely to support parenting.
These findings reveal an uncomfortable truth: abortion cannot be separated from the broader decline of relational trust and long-term commitment. A society shaped by casual relationships and delayed marriage becomes increasingly incompatible with children, ultimately resulting in a culture widely accepting of abortion as a way to avoid the lifelong implications of an uncommitted relationship.
And in a culture that increasingly avoids duty and traditional responsibilities, abortion can begin to feel like the mature or practical response to rectify a mistake amidst difficult circumstances.
Rebuilding a Culture of Commitment
Alexandra DeSanctis, fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, made a similar observation in her article “Fathers Can Help Prevent Abortion.” She argues:
“But without restoring a culture of marriage, a culture in which sex takes place primarily in the context of love and commitment, a significant number of people will always believe that women need access to abortion in order to be equal to men and free. No welfare check or government program, no pregnancy-resource center or supportive community, can replace a husband and a father.”
Her argument appears consistent with the broader relational trends reflected in the data surrounding abortion decisions. Yet there are practical ways our culture can work to reduce abortion.
It is imperative that pro-life organizations recognize that addressing abortion requires more than responding at the point of crisis. We must also help rebuild the relational and cultural foundations that make welcoming children feel possible.
According to a 2025 report by the Institute for Family Studies, many young adults are largely unaware that there are intentional steps they can take to build durable relationships and marriages. The report notes:
“There is a growing need to help young people understand that the true roots of enduring marriage are within their reach and that there are proactive ways that they can initiate and form an enduring union. Given young adults’ high desire for marriage, understanding the truth of how loving and lasting marriages are formed can help the rising generation have confidence in their own ability to pursue this path in their own lives.”
If we can equip men with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to build healthy relationships and embrace their role as fathers, we can help create the relational context that makes choosing life more likely.
This may require leaders of pro-life organizations to adopt a more expansive definition of what pro-life advocacy is, broadening the conversation beyond abortion alone. If relational instability and lack of commitment are major drivers of abortion decisions, then educational efforts should also address relationship formation, fatherhood, trust, and marriage. Organizations that help young people form durable relationships are ultimately addressing one of the root causes of abortion.
The Missing Piece
It is widely acknowledged that the father of the child has the most influence on an unexpected pregnancy. However, many men enter these conversations programmed by decades of cultural messaging surrounding “her body, her choice,” leading them to assume that the most supportive and appropriate response is, “I’ll support whatever you choose.”
What men do not realize, though, is that some women are resentful of this kind of response, as they perceive the response as leaving the burden of the decision entirely on their shoulders.
In a culture where parenthood is increasingly viewed as optional, many women long to hear reassurance that the father of the child will step forward rather than step away.
The abortion industry has worked diligently to ensure that men are entirely excluded from conversations related to unexpected pregnancies and that the only appropriate response is to affirm her “choice”—whatever it may be.
If we hope to end abortion, pro-life organizations must not only allow men a voice in these conversations but also address the deeper relational ills driving abortion decisions in the first place. This research suggests that fatherhood, relationship stability, and cultural attitudes toward commitment deserve far great attention within pro-life educational and outreach efforts.
A culture that deprioritizes commitment and delays responsibility will continue to view abortion as necessary. Rebuilding a culture of life ultimately requires rebuilding a culture of trust, commitment, and fatherhood.
This article was originally published on LifeNews.com, an independent news agency devoted to reporting news that affects the pro-life community. With a team of experienced journalists and bloggers, LifeNews.com reaches more than 750,000 pro-life advocates each week via their web site, email news reports, social networking outreach and weekday radio program.
Vitae Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that facilitates research about life issues.