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Show 50 Alyxandra Williams college of humanities The Alan Guttmacher Institute estimates that approximately 38% of pregnancies each year are unintend-ed. This statistic gives context to a conjecture Doctor Margaret "Peggy" Battin has been exploring for the past ten years. Her conjecture, which focuses on many of the reproductive issues and dilemmas around the globe, is this: what if everybody routinely used automatic and 100% effective contraception all the time, like the IUD or subdermal implant, except when they wanted to have a child? We hypothesized that were this conjecture the current standard, many reproductive issues around the globe would be simplified and/or rectified. This conjecture or hypothesis does not suggest that children who are unplanned do not also become cared for and loved. It simply suggests that the controversy that arises from unintended pregnancies and reproductive issues could be made much simpler. Through care-ful analysis of available data and statistics from sources such as the Alan Guttmacher Institute, the WHO, National Geographic, and RAINN, we found substantial evidence suggesting that our hypothesis is correct; the rates of teen pregnancy and abortion would significantly decrease, the added emotional trauma of becoming pregnant following rape or incest could be erased, high-risk pregnancies and pregnancies car-ried by women with chronic illnesses would decline, and global population growth and decline would be under better control. Our involvement has focused on researching adolescent pregnancy and coerced sex, specifically updat-ing statistics and data and working closely with various medical groups. From this, it has become appar-ent that Professor Battin's conjecture comes at an opportune time. Society, religion, and medicine could greatly benefit from her insight and careful study of current reproductive issues and dilemmas. THE IMPLICATIONS OF AUTOMATIC AND COMPLETELY EFFECTIVE CONTRACEPTION Alyxandra Williams, Rachel Zimmerman (Margaret Battin) Department of Philosophy University of Utah UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH ABSTRACTS Rachel Zimmerman Margaret Battin |