Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued federal guidelines that recommended all women of child-bearing age consider themselves in a perpetual state of “pre-pregnancy.” This meant that all women – from their first period through menopause – need to give up smoking, drinking and other harmful activities that could potentially hurt imaginary babies everywhere.

So, all you college women out there better stop binge drinking on the weekends. And don’t even think about smoking anything after your killer final, because you, my dear, have a fake baby inside you, whether you like it or not, according to the CDC.

However, most women planning to get pregnant know to take these precautions for their health and the health of the baby. The reason birth control was invented in the first place was so women could be prepared and make the choice if they want to have children.

But the guidelines considers “all females capable of conceiving a baby to treat themselves – and to be treated by the health care system – as pre-pregnant, regardless of whether they plan to get pregnant anytime soon.” Many health-care providers are urged to speak with their female patients about pre-conception care for their children. However, it would be better if they simply spoke about the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle for the woman herself.

Jamie Heitz, a junior movement studies major, said she likes the idea of the guidelines even though she drinks occasionally.

“I just decided recently that if I were to put myself in a position to get pregnant, I wouldn’t want to drink at all,” she said.

In contrast, junior fine arts major Samantha Robbins said the guidelines have a “sexist attitude.” She does not smoke nor drink nor plan on getting pregnant anytime soon, but when she does, she will be ready and willing to take the proper health precautions, she said.

The reason for this new recommendation is that the United States has a high infant-mortality rate compared to other developed nations, and half of all pregnancies are unplanned, according to the CDC report. Perhaps better birth-control education and access, or better health care could solve this, instead of an unrealistic expectation. These guidelines hurt economically disadvantaged women first – women who do not have health insurance and are more inclined to use drugs.

At WSU Health and Wellness Services, however, young women are safe from being harassed about unhealthy habits that will hurt your fake fetus.

“We are not exactly doing screening questions on smoking and drinking and whether you plan on getting pregnant or not,” said Nadine Shon, a registered nurse and Health and Wellness employee.

There is much confusion for women in the United States. According to a 2004 study by the U.S. Census Bureau on the fertility of women, 44 percent of women ages 15 to 44 do not have children. These women are opting not to have babies at all, but the government is recognizing them as almost-pregnant baby-makers, not individuals who made a decision for a child-free lifestyle.

If pregnancy is supposed to be respected with these rules, women certainly are not. Everything associated with pregnancy is shameful. Breastfeeding is considered disgusting and socially unacceptable. Now women can get Cesarean sections and tummy tucks all in the same go, virtually denying any corporal evidence that her body performed a miracle. Some health-care providers deny young women the ability to get their tubes tied or even intra-uterine devices because they might want to have children later, even if they’re minds are made up now. No wonder so many pregnancies are unwanted.

All these expectations are making double standards for women as incubators and sex objects who are supposed to be perma-pregnant and yet do not breast feed or have post-pregnant bodies.

Be careful, women, Big Brother is now doubling as the pre-pregnancy Gestapo.