Skip to main content

Welfare, the Family, and Reproductive Behavior Report of a Meeting (1998) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

Trends in Marriage and Fertility
Pages 3-5

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 3...
... The final section brings together some lessons for future research how evaluations of state-level waivers and of current policy changes can better contribute to the continuing work of welfare reform. TRENDS IN MARRIAGE AND FERTILITY A retreat from marriage and increases in nonmarital fertility have occurred among all social classes and income levels in the United States and indeed in most industrial countries in recent decades.
Read the entire page →
From page 4...
... ,' ~15-19 . ~30-34 - 1~' 0-t 1 1 1 1 1 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 Year FIGURE 1 Birth rates for unmarried women by age, United States, 1940-1993.
Read the entire page →
From page 5...
... s of the "shotgun wedding." Although the decline in marriage rates has been an important contributor to the increase in nonmarital birth rates, an increase in childbearing among the unmarried is also a factor. Sexual activity rates and sexual experience in the population have increased, according to Bachrach.
Read the entire page →

Key Terms

  • fertility rates
  • nonmarital fertility
  • nonmarital birth
  • welfare reform
  • rates rose

  • section brings
  • rose steadily
  • black women
  • context leading
  • policy changes

  • strongly affected
  • education category
  • women aged
  • steady increase
  • declined somewhat

  • historical context
  • marriage rates
  • continuing work
  • white women
  • resulted merely

  • birth rates
  • final section
  • nonmarital childbearing
  • recently accelerated
  • current policy

  • women declined
  • unmarried pregnant
  • major cause
  • state levels
  • income levels


    • This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
    More information on Chapter Skim is available.