Union Dynamics and Effects on Childbearing in Brazil: A Use of the DHS Calendar

Tiziana Leone, University of Southampton
Andrew Hinde, University of Southampton

In the past two decades there has been an increase of union instability in Brazil, and due to the high incidence of consensual unions in Brazil, it is important to examine the effect of union dynamics on fertility. Women with more than one union are reported to have a higher level of fertility, and it is not uncommon for Brazilian women in unstable unions to use pregnancy to increase the stability of their relationship. Using the 1996 DHS calendar this study will examine the union histories of women aged 15-49. The analysis considers the modeling of the hazard of union status change as a single effect and the simultaneous model of union status change and conception outcome using Lillard's model (1993). It demonstrates that there is a positive correlation between fertility and union instability.