Event Detail Information

Many argue that the rise of cohabitation may have been fueled by availability of highly effective contraception, but that differences in contraceptive use between married and cohabiting couples should diminish as cohabitation becomes more established. This analysis examines whether cohabiting women in the United States, Spain, and France are more likely than married women in these countries to use the most effective contraceptive methods. It also considers the association between sterilization and socioeconomic status in comparative context. Specifically, it explores whether similar patterns are observed in the U.S. and nine other low-fertility countries, and consider whether these associations can be explained by differences across groups in background factors such as the timing of childbearing or union stability.