Out-of-Wedlock Birthrates Are Soaring, U.S. Reports

[groovedaddy]

(Directly related to Bush policies, no less - gd)

WASHINGTON — Unmarried mothers gave birth to 4 out of every 10 babies born in the United States in 2007, a share that is increasing rapidly both here and abroad, according to government figures released Wednesday.

Before 1970, most unmarried mothers were teenagers. But in recent years the birthrate among unmarried women in their 20s and 30s has soared — rising 34 percent since 2002, for example, in women ages 30 to 34. In 2007, women in their 20s had 60 percent of all babies born out of wedlock, teenagers had 23 percent and women 30 and older had 17 percent.

Much of the increase in unmarried births has occurred among parents who are living together but are not married, cohabitation arrangements that tend to be less stable than marriages, studies show.

The pattern has been particularly pronounced among Hispanic women, climbing 20 percent from 2002 to 2006, the most recent year for which racial breakdowns are available. Eleven percent of unmarried Hispanic women had a baby in 2006, compared with 7 percent of unmarried black women and 3 percent of unmarried white women, according to government data drawn from birth certificates.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/health/13mothers.html?ref=health

[glowing]

1. Not to be rude, but the only way to get some adequate healthcare coverage

is to go unmarried. most 20 somethings don't have a lot of access. If you are a poor single momma, you get medicare, medicaid, wic, food stamps, and welfare when you are on materniy leave. If you are married your are rather screwed if you don't have major benefits from your job.. and what jobs have anything good for the young and starting out?

[groovedaddy]

2. Probably true. n.t

[jody]

3. Do you have a credible source showing "20 somethings" rationally make such decisions before getting

pregnant?

Is that the type of thinking that Kathryn Edin and Maria Kefalas discuss in their book "Promises I Can Keep: Why Poor Women Put Motherhood Before Marriage"?

[glowing]

5. How many parents "plan" for a child. I'm sure most 20 somethings are

not looking to get knocked up, but they remain marriage free for the benefits... some marry after the baby is born.. some never do. but many young women these days don't use precautions.. 8 yrs of non-education and mis direction because of pugs.. its just sad responsibility is so flim flam.

[jody]

7. Your post has support in the book by Edin/Kefalas I cited. n/t

[sandnsea]

4. Not exactly

Pregnant women qualify for health coverage regardless of their marital status and you can be working as well. It's part of what was accomplished with welfare reform and SCHIP.

Actually young people just don't seem to want to get married because it's easier to end the relationship and most relationships do end. I don't know why they'll have a child with someone they won't marry, but I see it all the time. They live together, decide to have a baby, but will not get married. Weird to me.

[glowing]

6. bull shit.. my husband alone makes too much to allow us to qualify for

anything other than medicaid if I was preggo.. no extra help for food or anything. I'd literally have to pop and the next day be at work. If we were non-married, I'd get those things.

[sandnsea]

8. "health coverage" = Medicaid

That's exactly what I said. Women are not avoiding marriage for health benefits anymore.

And the other benefits aren't enough to get pregnant over, never were.

A large number of the young people I see just do not want to get married. They have no faith in the institution or in people to keep the vows anyway. They're not going to get married just to give a baby a name either. There isn't as much of a plus side.

[glowing]

9. Yes, young makes more sense as "non-commital". Shoot most of their

parents couldn't make it.. why go thru the messy part of seperation.. just throw the shit out on the lawn and wash your hands.

[sandnsea]

10. I see it happen a lot

There are certainly young people who can't afford to get married. But that seemed more the case 15 years ago or so, then now.

My kids are in their 20's and married or not, them and their friends just do not have that "stick to the bitter end" thing that I think existed in the past. My son's girlfriend has 2 pre-teen kids, a good job, and they decided to have a baby. She won't marry him though. I don't get it. They're not the only ones around here that I see with that attitude.

[glowing]

11. I married.. then again my parents have still lasted for 30 yrs. so, I suppose

my sister and I seeing it work allowed us to not look at it so horribly and marry.. then again my hubby thinks you have 10 yrs and its over. with all the stress, its no wonder.

[sandnsea]

12. My daughter married

Had two kids, was living the dream... then her husband had an affair in December. They were together 7 years, married 5.

The son's girlfriend has had two divorces, the second one molested her daughter.

Maybe part of it is that these things aren't hidden anymore, women are able to leave without as much economic hardship or social stigma.

I don't know, but I don't think the current "thinking" as far as how we're teaching reproductive responsibility in high school is on the right track. Young men want to have a family too and you can't have them getting women pregnant all over the place because they keep thinking this is "the one", which I also see and it's crazy.

[bliss_eternal]

13. "out of wedlock...?"

that term makes my eyes and ears bleed.

:puke:

[Azalea]

14. OOW

is a sucky terminology, it seems to infer that marriage is some sort of punishment or prison (wedlock) and that is a bad way of thinking of marriage in a country where no one can force you to exchange vows.

And just as a woman has an inherent right to abort, she also has a right to give birth, even when she isn't married. Why is that weird to anyone?

[Glory89fan]

15. The abstinence-only education is working out great

Thanks a lot Dubya.