Cohabitation and reproductive behavior in the U.S.

Abstract

The relationship between unmarried cohabitation and certain intermediate varibles affecting fertility notably sexual activity and contraceptive practice as well as expectations for the number and timing of future births was examined. A secondary objective was to compare inferred measures of unmarried cohabitation derived from household conposition data in the US Current Population Survey (CPS) with direct or self-reported measures. The National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) Cycle III was conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics in 1982. For the 1st time it identified women informally living with a partner. Of the 7969 women aged 15-44 years 246 reported themselves to be currently cohabiting with a partner and an additional 6 reported a different marital status but said they were living with their boyfriend or fiance. These 6 women were included among the cohabitants. The data refer to current cohabitation only. Frequency of intercourse was higher for cohabiting women than for any other group. Virtually all cohabiting or currently married women have had intercourse in the last 3 months compared with only 3/4 of never married noncohabitants and 2/3 of formerly married noncohabitants. More than 3/5 of cohabitants had intercourse several times a week or more compared to less than half of married women and less than 1/4 of noncohabiting unmarried women. A higher proportion of never-married cohabitants than of any other group were exposed to the risk of pregnancy mostly because of the combination of high levels of sexuality and a low likelihood of being pregnant postpartum or noncontraceptively sterile in this group. Formerly married cohabitants tended to be exposed to risk at a higher level than other formerly married women but this difference was insignificant. Contraceptive practice was higher among unmarried cohabiting women than among unmarried cohabitants. As of the month of interview 82% of never-married cohabitants and 64% of formerly married cohabitants were using a contraceptive method. Among never-married and formerly married women who were not cohabiting the percentages were 55 and 52 respectively. Differences in the percentages of women using the most effective methods were similar but smaller. Never-married and formerly married cohabiting women were more likely to expect a birth in the next 5 years than either their noncohabiting counterparts or currently married women. Never-married cohabiting women were older than other never-married women and more likely to have had 1 or more live births but were considerably younger and have had fewer births on average than currently married women or either group of formerly married women. The 5 groups of women also differed with respect to socioeconomic factors.