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- Title
Legal Abortions and Trends in Age-Specific Marriage Rates.
- Authors
Bauman, Karl E.; Anderson, Ann E.; Freeman, Jean L.; Koch, Gary G.
- Abstract
The article examines the relationship between abortion and trends in age specific marriage rates in the United States. The article points out that most legal abortions are performed for the unmarried and legal abortion is associated with fewer legitimate and illegitimate births, which are first births of young mothers. In 1971, 80 percent of legal abortions were for women under 30 years of age and 67 percent of the women were unmarried. Premarital pregnancy is a stronger determinant of marriage among younger women than those who are older. Most legal abortions are performed for young and unmarried women. The first reform laws relating to legal abortions were enacted in 1967. By 1969 nine states in the United States had enacted laws, which permitted abortions for reasons other than preservation of the woman's life or health, and an estimated 22,670 legal abortions were performed. The results suggest that legalization of abortion predated the changes in marriage rates, and strengthens the notion that the change in marriage rates might be a consequence of legalized abortion.
- Subjects
UNITED States; ABORTION; MARRIAGE; MOTHERS; LEGALIZATION; PREGNANCY
- Publication
American Journal of Public Health, 1977, Vol 67, Issue 1, p52
- ISSN
0090-0036
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2105/AJPH.67.1.52