Out of the wedlock childbearing in Puerto Rico

RESUMO

In 1978, the proportion of out of the wedlock childbearing amounted to 18 percent, the lowest figure ever recorded in Puerto Rico. Since then, a consistent upward trend has been observed and in 1994 almost 42 percent of all live births was attributed to non-legally married mothers; 32 percent to mothers in consensualunions and ten percent to unwed mothers (not cohabiting with her child's father). Out of the wedlock childbearing is higher among adolescents and mothers of the lowest socioeconomic status as well as, among mothers out of the labor force. As compared with the legally married out of the wedlock mothers received a poorer prenatal care; those not cohabiting with their child's father receiving the poorest. Among out of the wedlock mothers the proportions of low birthweight newborns, preterm and depressed are higher than among the legally married, as well as their infant mortality rates.