The Regional Difference of Womens Age at First Marriage and Pregnancy

Abstract

This paper researches the regional difference in womens age at first marriage and pregnancy, by examining womens median age at first marriage and womens mean age at first pregnancy. Women and men are divided into four education-level groups to compare the gender gap in each state and indicate the regional pattern. The average difference between women and men is also calculated. Finally, the measures of age, education level, and gender gap are considered together to check the regional overlap. Local birth policies and political stances are also taken into account to understand the situation. The result shows that women living in central states get married and are pregnant at a younger age, and the educational attainment of the population in this region is concentrated in high school and college degrees. The research on the regional difference in birth age and education levels not only helps to improve womens rights and public health, but also provides an angle to understand the effect of policies.