Citation
Hayford, Sarah R.; Guzzo, Karen Benjamin; & Smock, Pamela (2014). The Decoupling of Marriage and Parenthood? Trends in the Timing of Marital First Births, 1945-2002. Journal of Marriage and Family, 76(3), 520-538. PMCID: PMC4002169Abstract
Family formation changed dramatically over the twentieth century in the United States. The impact of these changes on childbearing has primarily been studied in terms of nonmarital fertility. However, changes in family formation behavior also have implications for fertility within marriage. We use data from ten fertility surveys to describe changes in the timing of marital childbearing from the 1940s through the 21(st) century for non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black women. Based on harmonized data from the Integrated Fertility Survey Series, our results suggest increasing divergence in fertility timing for white women. A growing proportion of marriages begin with a premarital conception; at the same time, an increasing proportion of white women are postponing fertility within marriage. For black women, marital fertility is increasingly postponed beyond the early years of marriage. Evaluating the sequencing of marriage and parenthood over time is critical to understanding the changing meaning of marriage.URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12114Reference Type
Journal ArticleYear Published
2014Journal Title
Journal of Marriage and FamilyAuthor(s)
Hayford, Sarah R.Guzzo, Karen Benjamin
Smock, Pamela
Article Type
RegularPMCID
PMC4002169Data Set/Study
Integrated Fertility Survey Series (IFSS)Continent/Country
United States of AmericaState
NonspecificRace/Ethnicity
BlackWhite