Non-Marital Fertility among Mexican Origin Women

Elizabeth M. Wildsmith, University of Texas at Austin
Kelly Raley, University of Texas

This research examines race/ethnic differences in non-marital fertility, focusing on Mexican Origin and Mexican-American women using data from the 1995 NSFG supplemented with contextual level data. It investigates how rates change once life-course, demographic, and economic variables are controlled and it explores ways in which the cultural and economic environments interact to shape these patterns. Rates of non-marital fertility for all Mexican origin women fall in between those for white and black women, with rates for the Mexican born remaining relatively high throughout the twenties. Fertility within cohabiting unions for Mexican born women accounts for the majority of the excess in non-marital fertility relative to whites. U.S. born Mexican women have similar levels of fertility within cohabiting unions relative to whites, but higher levels outside of cohabiting unions. Though neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage is significantly associated with non-marital fertility, it does little to explain the race/ethnic difference in rates.