Social-demographic influence on first birth interval in China, 1980-1992

This study examines the delay between first marriage and first live birth i n China among a sample of women who married between 1980 and 1992. Most cou ples in China only use contraception after the first child is born. Most sa mple women had their first child within 2 years of marriage. However, there are significant rural-urban differences in the first birth interval, indic ating that there was most probably deliberate fertility regulation after ma rriage among many urban couples. Survival analysis shows that place of resi dence, level of education, age at first marriage and marriage cohort affect the first birth interval.