Do Couples Still Get Married Because of Pregnancy?

I think it still happens but isn’t as common anymore. Maybe it’s common in more religious or private families, but I think it’s become accepted more and more.

View Quoted Comment I agree with your perspective.

I dont think its common but I have heard of it. Though women still married their baby dads, not cause their in love, but it's the right thing to do. My friend got pregnant 2 weeks after meeting the guy and she married him after the baby was born. She doesnt even love him. So even if it not pregnancy per say, it's still forced cause kids are involved.

My FH and I found out we were pregnant after about 6 months of dating and he suggested we get married because his family was putting a lot of pressure on him. I told him I would never get married because of a pregnancy, it’s not the right reason. If we had gotten married, I think I would have always questioned if we were just together because of our son and I don’t know if we would have made it here now. I questioned “us” plenty of times over those first couple years, but it seems like my FH always knew we would get here someday.

View Quoted Comment Thanks for sharing.
I hope they can learn to love one another so they have a successful marriage.

View Quoted Comment Kudos to you two for resisting the urge to jump into marriage before you were truly ready.

I think it happens but if it was me I probably wouldn't want to get married for that particularly reason.
I mean you know, you can still be together and still have a family without the need of feeling obligated to marry someone because they're pregnant. Get married out of love and wanting to be with that person forever and not because they're pregnant.

View Quoted Comment I agree that people should marry for love.

My oldest brother and his then-girlfriend got pregnant when they were still in high school. They got married when she finished junior year (still pregnant) and he graduated. Three years after their marriage, after having another child, she cheated on him. Now, six years after they got married, they’re separated and filing for divorce. While I think it is vitally important that a child have both a mom and a dad, I think that pregnancy is not a valid reason to rush into marriage. And my other brother and his girlfriend just had a baby (she’s four days old), and they’re not getting married—at least not as far as they know. They’re staying together, which I think is good, especially for the baby’s development.

While I think the chances of staying together in a marriage made because of pregnancy are slim, I do know a couple who have been together almost 20 years and are thriving in their marriage, even though their first child was born right before they got married.

View Quoted Comment You bring up some really great points. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

I hope, this day in age, that no one would get married just because they are pregnant. If you have been with your partner for a long time and marriage has been discussed in the past, then get engaged, and plan a normal wedding for after your are not huge and hormonal. But I think getting married because “it’s the right thing to do” leads to more divorces than it does happy families.

View Quoted Comment I would hope not also but I can understand how a couple might try to keep things together for the sake of the child. Effective co-parenting might work just as well.

It happens, but the opposite also happens. I have a good friend who got pregnant before she intended. She was/is completely in love with the man. They purposely didn't get married for a few years because they didn't want people to assume they got married because of the baby.

View Quoted Comment

Studies have shown that the 2 parents being divorced is better for the child rather than the 2 parents constantly fighting, etc. But I know where you’re coming from, as my parents were divorced. They actually got married about a year after I was born..

I think it's less common now.
One of my parents got married the first time over a pregnancy and to this day they tell us it is the worst choice they ever made. I've heard that statement from more than one person who had a shotgun. But also to me a shotgun wedding indicates the couple had no intention or want to get married. You can get pregnant unplanned with the intent and want to get married.
I think there's a lot of pressure on a couple planning a wedding and having a baby, combining the two probably isn't a good way to build the foundation needed for a lasting marriage. I think it's not impossible, love is an amazing thing, many people say the birth of their child changed them for the better.
Overall it likely boils down to the couple and what their intentions were, a fling or one night stand won't last, but a in love couple with a surprise baby will have a higher chance.

People tried to suggest that we do it, but no way was I about to be a preggo bride...... so here we are, 2 years after she was born, 2 months away from getting married. I don't regret the choice at all. He proposed in his own time, well after she was born, when it seemed like a good time and place in our lives to do so. No way would I marry someone simply due to getting pregnant. We already knew we wanted to get married before we got pregnant (it's kind of HOW we got pregnant...) but again, I wasn't about to spend that day miserable; I HATED being pregnant.

I know a few friends that were together a long time and were thinking about marriage before they got pregnant. One got married while she was pregnant. My other friends had their babies first before getting married.

View Quoted Comment I can completely understand why they waited.

View Quoted Comment You bring up a great point about the intention behing the marriage.

View Quoted Comment Congrats on your future marriage. I'm sorry pregnancy wasn't a beautiful dream like some women depict it to be. I don't have any children so I can only go by what I see.