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- Title
Legitimacy, Illegitimacy, and Live Birth Ratios in a Black Population.
- Authors
Haney, C. Allen; Michielutte, Robert; Vincent, Clark E.; Cochrane, Carl M.
- Abstract
This invesitigation focuses on the influence of illegitimacy on pregnancy wastage among black women. unlike studies of pregnancy wastage that have utilized period rate, the data consist of logitudinal pregnancy histories for a sample of 990 women. it was hypothesized, on the basis of past reseach and toery, that illegtimate conceptions would be less likely than legitimate conceptions to result in live births.The hypothesis was not supported, however. Illegitimate concenptions to have a slightly better chance of resulting in live births, even when control variables, such as economic status, education, and age, are introduced. Three possible explanations for the result are suggested: (1) Most illegitimate conceptions occur at a younger age when the risk of stillbirth, miscarriages, and other complications is minial.(2) A younger woman experiencing an illitimate pregnancy is likely to be residing in the parental home where she would be urged to get proper care. (3) Illigitimacy may not carry a great deal of social stigma for the black woman. Therefore, the unwed black woman may not have a greatly different image of herself than does the married woman. The community probably does not make much distinction either. Therefore, emotional and financial support may not be removed from the unwed mother, as is often assumed.
- Subjects
ILLEGITIMACY; BLACK women; PREGNANCY; CHILDBIRTH; STEREOTYPES; LEGITIMATION of children
- Publication
Journal of Health & Social Behavior, 1972, Vol 13, Issue 3, p303
- ISSN
0022-1465
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2307/2136767