Even though she’s only 24, Maci Bookout is ready to put her childbearing years behind her. After being surprised with a third pregnancy, the Teen Mom OG star has decided her family will most definitely be complete after the birth of her third child.
The pregnancy came as a big shock to Bookout, who says she was at the doctor’s to refill her birth control prescription when she found out. The news came just days after accepting a marriage proposal from Taylor McKinney, who is also the father of her 8-month-old daughter, Jayde. Bookout shares custody of her eldest, son Bentley, with father Ryan Edwards.
More:Kim Kardashian releases adorable first picture of Saint West
Bookout’s decision to be done having kids is a perfectly understandable one. Not only will this be her third child, but her due date falls just one day before Jayde’s first birthday. Bookout joked that the two will be “Irish twins,” adding that big brother Bentley thinks the idea of his baby sister becoming a big sister is “hilarious.”
Bookout has stated that some permanent birth control decisions would be made “immediately after the birth,” which suggests that Bookout may be opting for tubal ligation.
This hardly comes as a surprise after the criticism Bookout has received as a young mother, especially following the announcement of her third pregnancy and the allegations that she knowingly drank while pregnant. Being in the public eye for so long has meant that every move Bookout makes, including her family planning decisions, has been up for endless debate.
More:Chrissy Teigen slammed for being brave enough to admit moms need help
However, getting sterilized at such a young age, even after having three kids, is often easier said than done. While the law states that you must be 21 to consent to a tubal ligation, many young women have a hard time finding a doctor willing to perform sterilization because of the fear that they may later change their mind. In a 2010 survey of American gynecologists, 70 percent were likely to discourage a 26-year-old woman from sterilization, even after having a child.
While it may not be a doctor’s place to worry about the future regrets of a woman giving informed consent to this type of surgery, it is important for women to carefully consider all their family planning options before landing on something as permanent as sterilization. While the surgery is reversible, undoing a tubal ligation is far more invasive than the initial surgery and is rarely, if ever, covered by insurance. Still, when a woman makes the decision that sterilization is the right choice for her future, her decision should be honored and respected. It is not a gynecologist’s job to persuade her otherwise.
Ultimately the final say in her reproductive health should lie with Bookout. She is the only one who can make the choice that is right for her family, and considering she’s been a mother for the past seven years, she most certainly has enough experience to make a sound decision.
Before you go, check out our slideshow below:
Leave a Comment