Births To Unmarried Women Increasing In U.S., Driven By Women In 20s, 30s, Report Shows

Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 15 May 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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Almost 40% of U.S. births in 2007 occurred among unmarried women, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, the Washington Post reports. About 1.7 million infants were born to unmarried women in 2007, representing a 26% increase over the 1.4 million in 2002 and more than double the number in 1980. Unmarried women accounted for 39.7% of all U.S. births in 2007, up from 34% in 2002 and more than double the percentage in 1980, according to the report, which studied birth certificates nationwide.

Women in their 20s and 30s are the biggest drivers of the trend, with out-of-wedlock births in this age group increasing from a rate of 13% to 34% between 2002 and 2006, according to the report (Stein/St. George, Washington Post, 5/14). For example, the birthrate for unmarried women ages 30 to 34 rose by 34% in 2007 compared with 2002 (Harris, New York Times, 5/14). Sixty percent of births to women ages 20 to 24 were to unmarried women, compared to 52% in 2002. In addition, 32% of births to women 25 to 29 were to unmarried women, compared to 25% in 2002, the report shows (Jayson, USA Today, 5/14). Overall, women in their 20s made up 60% of U.S. unmarried births in 2007, while teens accounted for 23% and women ages 30 and older accounted for 17% (New York Times, 5/13). Unmarried Hispanic women gave birth at a rate of 106 births per 1,000 unmarried women. The rate was 72 per 1,000 for blacks, 32 per 1,000 for whites and 26 per 1,000 for Asians. The rates for blacks and Hispanics rose the fastest, according to the report (Washington Post, 5/14). Compared with other countries, the U.S. rate of unmarried births was near the middle of the 14 countries included in the report (USA Today, 5/14).

Although researchers did research the reasons for the trend, they cited several factors that in combination likely affected the rate, including a decrease in the social stigma surrounding out-of-wedlock births, an increasing number of couples putting off or forgoing marriage, and growing numbers of financially independent, older or single women who choose to have children on their own (Washington Post, 5/14). Researchers noted that most of the increase in these births was among parents who live together but are not married (New York Times, 5/13).

"I think this is the tipping point," Rosanna Hertz of Wellesley College said, adding, "This is becoming increasingly the norm. The old adage that 'first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage' just no longer holds true." Hertz added, "Women can have children on their own, and it's not going to destroy your employment, and it's not going to mean that you'll be made a pariah by the community. It's much more socially acceptable." Sarah Brown of the National Campaign To Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy said, "I look at this and say, maybe this trend is what young adults want or stumble into, but it's not in the best interest of children" (Washington Post, 5/14).

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