The relationship context of nonmarital childbearing in the U.S.

Using Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort data, we update estimates of cohabiting nonmarital births, examine factors associated with relationship context at birth, and assess racial/ethnic differences. We find that 52Š of nonmarital births occur within cohabitations - an increase of 33Š since the early 1990s. Blacks have shown the greatest increase in cohabiting births over time. We also find that the fertility histories of men and women have opposite influences on nonmarital childbearing. Furthermore, for Whites, a partner of a different race/ethnicity is associated with a higher risk of a nonmarital birth; for Blacks and Hispanics, the opposite is true.