A couple can share responsibility for the decision about whether to have an abortion and for the abortion itself, if that choice is made, in several ways. First, the man can help his partner clarify her feelings and can express his own regarding the unwanted pregnancy and how best to deal with it. Important topics for a couple to discuss include each person’s life situation at the time, their feelings about the pregnancy and each
other, the pros and cons of the possible choices, and their future plans as individuals and as a couple. If the man and woman disagree on what to do, the final decision rests with the woman: Male partners do not have a legal right to demand or deny abortion for the woman. Research has found that most partners of single and married women who have abortions know about and are supportive of the decision. However, women were unlikely to disclose the pregnancy and abortion to partners who had been physically abusive to them prior to the pregnancy (Jones et al., 2010). •