The comment was widely characterized as misogynistic and recklessly inaccurate , with many commentators remarking on the use of the words " legitimate rape " . Related news articles cited a 1996 article in an obstetrics and gynecology journal , which found that 5 % of women who were raped became pregnant , which equaled about 32,000 pregnancies each year in the US alone . A separate 2003 article in the journal '' Human Nature '' estimated that rapes are twice as likely to result in pregnancies as consensual sex . ( See also pregnancy from rape . ) The incident was seen as having an impact on Akin 's senate race and the Republicans ' chances of gaining a majority in the U.S. Senate , by making news in the week before the 2012 Republican National Convention and by " shift ing the national discussion to divisive social issues that could repel swing voters rather than economic issues that could attract them " . Akin , along with other Republican candidates with controversial positions on rape , lost due to backlash from women voters
2012 Republican National Convention
2012 Republican National Convention
2012 United States Senate elections