Single motherhood and low birthweight in Spain

Nonmarital childbearing is becoming an increasingly common path to family formation in Spain. The proportion of births to unmarried mothers has increased from 2% in 1975 to 30.2% in 2007. Along with this marked increase, there has been an important shift in the sociodemographic profile of unmarried mothers. This study focuses on the impact of mothers’ marital status on the health status of their newborns, using low birthweight as an indicator. We are interested in examining how the impact of mothers’ unmarried status on birth outcomes changes as nonmarital childbearing shifts from a marginal to a relatively common behaviour. The results of the analysis reveal that the health disadvantage gap between marital and nonmarital births has narrowed significantly over the past decade in Spain. We argue that diminishing selection processes and increasing social acceptance could explain the declining significance of marital status as a risk factor for low birthweight.childbearing, cohabitation, low birthweight, nonmarital fertility, out-of-wedlock, perinatal health, Spain, unmarried mothers

Not truly partnerless: Non-residential partnerships and retreat from marriage in Spain

In Spain, nearly two-thirds of women aged 20-34 have not yet entered their first union. However, almost half of them have a stable partner in a different household. Hence, the drop in marriage rates and low prevalence of cohabitation cannot be rightly interpreted as a decline in partnership formation, but rather as a postponement of co-residential unions. This paper examines the prevalence and determinants of non-residential stable partnerships among young adults (women aged 20-34), in relation to cohabitation and marriage, using a multinomial logit model of current partnership type. The analysis is based on data from the 1999 Spanish Fertility Survey.cohabitation, LAT, partnerships, Spain, union formation

Is Latin America starting to retreat from early and universal childbearing?

The 2000 censuses show that the proportion of women below age 30 who are mothers has dropped substantially in most Latin America countries, suggesting that the social imperative of early motherhood, which has long prevailed in the region, is weakening. Surveys conducted in 14 Latin American countries in 2006 also show a strong link between childlessness and higher education across several cohorts. We discuss whether the recent increase in childlessness among young women reflects a shift towards later childbearing, a novel trend in the Latin American context, and also whether it may signal an emerging retreat from universal childbearing in the region.childlessness, fertility, first birth, Latin America

Contraceptive use patterns among Spanish single youth

Objective: To examine sexual and contraceptive use patterns, including method choice, among unmarried youth in Spain. Method: The analysis is based on the 1999 Youth Survey. The analytical sample comprised 696 never-married sexually experienced women aged 15–24 and 1070 men. Logistic regression was used to assess the influence of various socio-demographic factors on contraceptive use, and multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the determinants of method choice. Results: Given the trend towards earlier sexual initiation and increasing marriage postponement, sexual activity prior to marriage has become the norm in Spain. Nine out of 10 sexually active single youth reported contraceptive use at their last intercourse. Differentials across social subgroups were small, with the exception of those based on educational level. Young women and men with more than one partner in the previous year and those not currently in a stable relationship were more likely to engage in unprotected intercourse. Regarding the choice of method, the analysis revealed that, although condom is the dominant method, there is a tendency to shift to the pill with increasing age and relationship stability. Conclusion: The level of contraceptive protection among unmarried youth is reasonably high, but a nontrivial proportion of youth engage in unprotected sexual activity.Peer reviewe

¿Puede la inmigración frenar el envejecimiento de la población española?

En un contexto de rápido envejecimiento poblacional, surge la pregunta de si la inmigración puede contrarrestar o ralentizar esta tendencia demográfica. Aunque la inmigración no va a revertir ni a detener el proceso de envejecimiento demográfico, las proyecciones de población de diversos organismos internacionales y nacionales ilustran que sí puede ralentizar el ritmo de envejecimiento a través de dos vías: (1) la entrada de población joven, susceptible de incorporarse al mercado de trabajo, y (2) el incremento del número de nacimientos. Este impacto es ligero, pero no menospreciable, ya que puede aumentar el margen de maniobra para enfrentarse a los retos que supone el envejecimiento poblacional y el nuevo (des)equilibrio intergeneracional

Women’s changing socioeconomic position and union formation in Spain and Portugal

Economic and sociological theories of marriage have long emphasized the impact of women’s education and employment on union formation. In this study, we explore the relevance of the female economic independence hypothesis to explain women’s patterns of entry into marriage and cohabitation in Portugal and Spain. In these two Southern European countries, gender equity has improved remarkably in the public sphere, but family relations remain structured along traditional gender roles. We focus on three indicators of women’s autonomy: educational attainment, employment status and having lived independently from the family of origin. The analysis is based on the Fertility and Family Surveys and discrete-time multinomial logistic regression models are used to estimate the odds of marrying, cohabiting or remaining single. The results suggest that whereas the effect of female education is consistent with the independence hypothesis, women’s labour force participation encourages union formation, particularly among younger cohorts. Living independently from the family of origin reduces the likelihood of entering marriage but increases considerably the odds of cohabiting.cohabitation, education, employment, independence hypothesis, marriage, Portugal, South Europe, Spain, union formation, women’s status

Matrimonios de hecho, de derecho y en eterno aplazamiento: la nupcialidad española al inicio del siglo XXI

La nupcialidad española se encuentra inmersa en un profundo proceso de cambio. La edad media de hombres y mujeres al matrimonio ha aumentado más de 4 años en las dos últimas décadas, las tasas de divorcio contemporáneas implican que un 15 por 100 de los matrimonios se separan, 1 de cada 10 matrimonios es el segundo para al menos uno de los cónyuges, el 13 por 100 de las mujeres nacidas en los años sesenta ha experimentado una unión de hecho, y 1 de cada 5 nacimientos se produce al margen del matrimonio. El objetivo de este artículo es presentar el debate teórico que se viene produciendo a nivel internacional en torno a las raíces de la evolución reciente de la nupcialidad y ofrecer una síntesis de los rasgos que caracterizan la nupcialidad española contemporánea, situándola dentro del contexto europeo.Peer reviewe

Ideals and norms related to fatherhood in Europe: A comparative perspective from the European Social Survey

Objective: This study explores cross-country similarities and differences in individuals' perceptions of the ideal age and pathways to become a father, focusing on five European countries: Germany, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the UK. Background: Empirical research analyzing family-related social norms and individuals' preferences is still scarce when compared to the abundant literature on family behavior, and especially so when focusing on men rather than women. This study attempts to mitigate this gap in the literature by focusing on ideals and norms related to fatherhood. Method: Using European Social Survey data from the most recent available round (2018/2019), descriptive and multivariate regression analyses are performed to examine: (a) the ideal age to become a father; and (b) approval of men's decision to never have children, to have a child outside marriage, and to keep working full-time when having small children. Results: Findings confirm signs of convergence across countries regarding the “normalization” of postponed fatherhood, as well as increased detachment from traditional attitudes. Differences between "forerunner" and "laggard" countries with regard to family-related norms and family change are visibly narrowing. However, the ideal age for fatherhood and the approval of non-traditional life course trajectories also reflect different incentives and possibilities for the establishment of new family models provided by the gender culture and the welfare regime in each country. Conclusion: Examining social norms regarding male reproductive decisions and the exercise of fatherhood from a comparative perspective is important for understanding men’s choices and the normative social framework potentially constraining them

Childbearing within Marriage and Consensual Union in Latin America, 1980-2010

This article compares the fertility patterns of women in consensual union and marriage in 13 Latin American countries, using census microdata from the four most recent census rounds and a methodological approach that combines the own-children method and Poisson regression. Results show that in all these countries, fertility is slightly higher within consensual union than marriage and that the age pattern of fertility is very similar in marital and non-marital unions. Further analyses show that over the period considered, childbearing within a consensual union has passed from rare to increasingly common, although not yet mainstream, for highly educated women in most countries examined. Results show that in Latin America, at least since the 1980s, women’s childbearing patterns depend on their age and on their being in a conjugal relationship, but not on the legal nature of this relationship. The similarities in reproductive behavior between marital and non-marital unions are not confined to the socially disadvantaged groups, but apply as well to the better off.European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant Agreement 320116 for the research project FamiliesAndSocieties.Peer reviewe

Demographic Issues of Intra-European Migration: Destinations, Family and Settlement

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