Do illegitimate children exist in Poland? Pregnancy before marriage.

So I have an illegitimate child (meaning I am not married and have a child), which is completely normal in Australia. I visited a relative yesterday (maternal grandmother's cousin who is 84) and she kept saying how wonderful it is that my married cousin is finally expecting the 'long awaited first child of the new generation', a true blessing for the family etc. Amongst other things she did ask how my mum reacted to me having a child outside of wedlock. What happens in Poland if a lady gets pregnant before marriage and the guy is a total loser but abortion is illegal? Do polish people practice really safe sex? Does my child exist? How big of a sin have I committed?

I think you should change your attitude and stop referring to your child as 'illegitimate', that would be a good start. Poor kid. Obviously they 'exist'.

Pregnancy before marriage is extremely common in Poland. But usually the couple manages to get married before the baby is born.


This is why young ladies used to have chaperones. Left to their own judgement (which is poor due to limited experience and surging hormones) young women tend to pick.... total losers (the bigger the loser the harder they're likely to fall). This is why young women usually had chaperones around them who could sniff out the losers and scare them off.

Back to your question. It happens in Poland and in larger cities won't be much remarked on. In the countryside it will be more remarked on (though there won't be public shaming or shunning or anything like that).