Angela Philipps, Contributor

There must be so many of you out there in this predicament. But perhaps it's not a pickle at all. Many women choose to have kids on their own, and are very capable of doing so. However, there are some issues which are attached to this state, as there are in most situations. Some are easy to deal with, while others tend to be complicated.

First, there's the young girl, whose 'babyfather' has mysteriously fallen off the shores of this island. She might still be in school, doing her best to juggle her studies and some semblance of a social life. Becoming knocked up might put a stigma against her, as seen in the movie Juno. She could suffer severe teasing from her classmates, and be left to feel very lonely and depressed. Not a great way in which to embark on adulthood at all.

Let's assume that she continues with the pregnancy. Now she has the burden of supporting this child on her own. There's hardly going to be enough time for dating, not to mention the fact that guys might be put off by the 'baggage' of a baby. Yes, you make your bed, you lie in it. But a few years down the line, when she's grown up and taken responsibility for her actions, is it fair that she can't enjoy a little fun in life, or the company of a good man?

What if said girl simply cannot afford to raise a kid? I think it's immoral to premeditatedly use abortion as a form of contraception, but in certain cases I do feel that it might be necessary. With all that's been in the press lately, I can just hear the abuse that's been hurled in my direction right now. I have a question: How many of you have been in this situation? Sixteen and destitute, with a 'bun in the oven'? Nope? Then it's not your place to judge.

The big picture

"She could put the baby up for adoption," you might be saying. Ha! Do you have any idea how difficult it is to adopt a child in this country? Is it even in your sphere of narrow-mindedness to consider that there are hundreds of orphans living in less than mediocre circumstances? Again, look at the big picture here, not through tunnel vision.

In another scenario, a forty-something lady, with financial means, might well decide that she can't wait around any longer for the right man to come along. Tick tock, tick tock, goes the biological clock. So she pushes ahead and has kids on her own. Whether through artificial insemination, in vitro fertilisation, or with a sex buddy, it is her business. The result is a rather swollen tummy! This girl is fun-loving and still very much interested in finding a soulmate. Does her impending offspring put men off? Will she be able to snag a date or two even though she is expecting someone else's child? Sure, the father might have no future with his offspring, but is it a bit too much to ask a single lad to accept that the chick he fancies is going to be giving birth in several months' time?

Boys, if any of you meet this woman, would you even consider hitting on her, upon seeing the bump protrude from her belly? Maybe it's too early to notice anything. Therefore you strike up a conversation, only to discover, some hours after coming to the conclusion that you fancy her, that she's 'expecting'! What do you do then huh? Would you ask a woman out if she was single and pregnant?

angelaphilippsja@hotmail.com