99 Percent of New Birthing Parents Report Intrusive Thoughts of Accidental Harm
Researchers writing in The Conversation Canada report that, in their research with colleagues, 99 per cent of new birthing parents — mothers and birthing parents of other genders — have unwanted, intrusive thoughts of accidental harm coming to their newborn infant. Roughly half, about 50 per cent, experience unwanted, intrusive thoughts of harming their infant on purpose. Both figures are about thoughts the parents describe as unwanted. The word “unwanted” is the part a bare “half of new parents” summary would drop.
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The wider finding is about people in general: about 95 per cent have occasional unwanted, intrusive thoughts they find morally repugnant, because the content goes against their own wishes, values and beliefs.
So the variable isn't whether the thought shows up. The research describes thoughts that clash with what the thinker values — which is why they land as alarming rather than tempting.
Commonness is cold comfort at 3 a.m., though. Knowing that half of new parents have these thoughts doesn't make one less frightening when it arrives.