Reexamining the link of early childbearing to marriage and to subsequent fertility

Using data from the 1980, 1985, and 1990 Current Population Surveys, we sho w that the link between early fertility and nonmarital births has become st ronger: Women who give birth earlier are increasingly likely to be unmarrie d. In contrast, we find a weaker association between first births at young (versus older) ages and (I) a rapid pace of subsequent childbearing and (2) higher completed fertility. We discuss possible causes and consequences of these changes.