Changes in the planning status of births to ever-married U.S. women, 1982-1988.

PIP: Analysis of births reported in the Cycles III and IV of the US National Survey of Family Growth in 1982 and 1988 indicate no statistically significant changes in the proportion of births among women noncontracepting and not seeking a pregnancy. Birth distributions are largely changed among women planning births, which show declines, and women with contraceptive failures, which result in increased births. There were significant increases in ever married women's use of contraception (65% in 1982 and 71% in 1988), and fewer women desiring a pregnancy (6% in 1982 and 3% in 1988). Among those at risk of a unintended pregnancy the proportion using more effective methods of contraception increased from 71% to 73%. The failure rates for less effective methods such as the condom, diaphragm, and spermicides are unchanged between 1982 and 1988. The proportion of unintended pregnancies ending in abortion change very little between 1982 and 1988, according to analysis of data for 1982 and 1987 by Forest and Singh. Analysis of NSFG data on abortions for the 5 years preceding the surveys show a decline, but it is not statistically significant. The analysis suggests that there were indeed more unplanned pregnancies that came to term between 1982 and 1987 than between 1977 and 1981. The unplanned pregnancies are accounted for by the increased number of women at risk of contraceptive failure, the increased failure rates for the pill and for abstinence, and an increased proportion of unwanted pregnancies carried to term between 1982 and 1988. The proportion not using contraception would not appear to have affected the changes in unintended births. Why use-effectiveness of contraception has changed is not known.^ieng

Relinquishment of premarital births: evidence from national survey data.

According to 1982 and 1988 NSFG data, unmarried white women are far less likely than they were in the early 1970s to place their children for adoption. The levels of relinquishment among black women have remained low throughout this period, and relinquishment among Hispanic women may be virtually nonexistent. Multivariate analysis of the determinants of relinquishment among unmarried non-Hispanic white women suggests that having a well-educated mother, being in school at the time of conception, having no labor force experience, and being older are positively associated with placing a child for adoption. Sons were found to be less likely to be relinquished than daughters.

PIP: Researchers analyzed data from the 1982 and 1988 cycles of the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) to look at trends in the giving up of children of unmarried women in the US and to examine factors which are linked to the decision to put a child up for adoption. Since the numbers of black and Hispanic women who relinquished a child were so small, the final analysis only included white women. Overall relinquishment fell over time, especially during the 1970s which may have been due to the increased access to abortion in the US in the early 1970s. A higher percentage of women relinquished their children before 1973, during 1973-1981, and 1982-1988 (19.3, 7.6, and 3.2 respectively) than black women (1.5, 0.2, and 1.1 respectively). Hispanic women rarely relinquished their children. Significant factors that influenced unmarried white women to place a child for adoption included month and year of birth (p.01), maternal education (p.01), and opportunity costs of becoming a parent. The most significant opportunity cost that played a role in decision making was conception occurred when the mother was not in school (p.01). The older the woman at time of birth the more likely she would relinquish the child (p,05). Further mother that had paid employment before birth tended to place the child for adoption (p,05). Women with sons were less likely to relinquish them than those with daughters (p.05). The authors suggested that these results be compared with those on decision making involving abortion. Specifically they should look at all behaviors resulting in pregnancy resolution decision as well as the cost and benefits of parenthood and its alternatives. Moreover they should conduct research that assesses attitude toward adoption, since attitude toward abortion among different population groups is well known.