IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/eurpop/v39y2023i1d10.1007_s10680-023-09668-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Union Instability and Fertility: An International Perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Ana Fostik

    (Statistics Canada)

  • Mariana Fernández Soto

    (FCS-UDELAR)

  • Fernando Ruiz-Vallejo

    (Universidad Nacional de Colombia)

  • Daniel Ciganda

    (Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
    UDELAR)

Abstract

In this article, we analyse the relationship between union instability and cumulated fertility among ever-partnered women in several regions across Europe and the Americas with different patterns of demographic behaviour in terms of fertility levels, union instability and fertility across partnerships. We hypothesise that the relationship between union dissolution and fertility might be less negative in contexts where repartnering is more prevalent. The analysis is performed on a large dataset of 25 countries, combining information from the Harmonised Histories of the Generation and Gender Programme with our own harmonisation of survey data from three Latin American countries. This allows for the inclusion of countries with differing prevalence of union instability as measured by (a) the proportion of women who separated by age 40, and (b) the proportion who repartnered by age 40. We first examine the prevalence of separation and repartnering during reproductive ages across regions, and we estimate the proportion of cumulated fertility attributable to unions of different ranks using a decomposition method. We then analyse the links between union instability and the number of children born by age 40 among ever-partnered and ever-repartnered women, using Poisson regression. Despite observing a high degree of heterogeneity in the proportions of births occurring in the context of repartnering both within and between regions, we find a pattern where a greater prevalence of repartnering by age 40 is accompanied by higher cumulated fertility in second or subsequent unions. Our multivariate findings reveal a negative statistical relationship between separation and cumulated fertility that is partially offset by repartnering in some contexts, and that the time spent in a union during the reproductive lifespan is a key determinant of cumulated fertility, regardless of national context and independently from age at union formation and union rank.

Suggested Citation

  • Ana Fostik & Mariana Fernández Soto & Fernando Ruiz-Vallejo & Daniel Ciganda, 2023. "Union Instability and Fertility: An International Perspective," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 39(1), pages 1-47, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eurpop:v:39:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s10680-023-09668-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10680-023-09668-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10680-023-09668-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10680-023-09668-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Julie Jefferies & Ann Berrington & Ian Diamond, 2000. "Childbearing Following Marital Dissolution in Britain," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 16(3), pages 193-210, September.
    2. Janet Griffith & Helen Koo & C. Suchindran, 1985. "Childbearing and family in remarriage," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 22(1), pages 73-88, February.
    3. Jan Van Bavel & Mieke Jansen & Belinda Wijckmans, 2012. "Has Divorce Become a Pro-Natal Force in Europe at the Turn of the 21st Century?," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 31(5), pages 751-775, October.
    4. Elizabeth Thomson & Maria Winkler-Dworak & Martin Spielauer & Alexia Prskawetz, 2012. "Union Instability as an Engine of Fertility? A Microsimulation Model for France," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(1), pages 175-195, February.
    5. Silvia Meggiolaro & Fausta Ongaro, 2010. "The implications of marital instability for a woman’s fertility: Empirical evidence from Italy," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 23(34), pages 963-996.
    6. Lucia Coppola & Mariachiara Di Cesare, 2008. "How fertility and union stability interact in shaping new family patterns in Italy and Spain," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 18(4), pages 117-144.
    7. Mathías Nathan & Ignacio Pardo & Wanda Cabella, 2016. "Diverging patterns of fertility decline in Uruguay," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 34(20), pages 563-586.
    8. repec:cai:poeine:pope_1102_0239 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Lindsay M. Monte, 2019. "Multiple-Partner Fertility in the United States: A Demographic Portrait," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(1), pages 103-127, February.
    10. Elizabeth Thomson, 2004. "Step-families and Childbearing Desires in Europe," Demographic Research Special Collections, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 3(5), pages 117-134.
    11. Michaela R. Kreyenfeld & Kryštof Zeman & Marion Burkimsher & Ina Jaschinski, 2011. "Fertility data for German speaking countries. What is the potential? Where are the pitfalls?," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2011-003, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    12. Kryštof Zeman & Eva Beaujouan & Zuzanna Brzozowska & Tomáš Sobotka, 2018. "Cohort fertility decline in low fertility countries: Decomposition using parity progression ratios," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 38(25), pages 651-690.
    13. Eva Beaujouan & Anne Solaz, 2008. "Childbearing after separation," Working Papers 155, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED).
    14. Albert Esteve & Ron Lesthaeghe & Antonio López‐Gay, 2012. "The Latin American Cohabitation Boom, 1970–2007," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 38(1), pages 55-81, March.
    15. Leone, Tiziana & Hinde, Andrew, 2007. "Fertility and union dissolution in Brazil: an example of multi-process modelling using the Demographic and Health Survey calendar data," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 14701, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    16. Ewa Batyra, 2016. "Fertility and the changing pattern of the timing of childbearing in Colombia," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(46), pages 1343-1372.
    17. Tiziana Leone & Andrew Hinde, 2007. "Fertility and union dissolution in Brazil: an example of multi-process modelling using the Demographic and Health Survey calendar data," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 17(7), pages 157-180.
    18. David Pelletier, 2016. "The diffusion of cohabitation and children’s risks of family dissolution in Canada," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 35(45), pages 1317-1342.
    19. Mariana Fernández Soto & Benoît Laplante, 2020. "The effect of union dissolution on the fertility of women in Montevideo, Uruguay," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 43(4), pages 97-128.
    20. Tomáš Sobotka & Laurent Toulemon, 2008. "Overview Chapter 4: Changing family and partnership behaviour," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 19(6), pages 85-138.
    21. Eva Beaujouan & Kryštof Zeman & Mathías Nathan, 2023. "Delayed first births and completed fertility across the 1940–1969 birth cohorts," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 48(15), pages 387-420.
    22. Aart Liefbroer & Edith Dourleijn, 2006. "Unmarried cohabitation and union stability: Testing the role of diffusion using data from 16 European countries," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 43(2), pages 203-221, May.
    23. Liu, Chia & Esteve, Albert & Treviño, Rocío, 2017. "Female-Headed Households and Living Conditions in Latin America," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 311-328.
    24. Benoît Laplante & Ana Laura Fostik, 2015. "Two period measures for comparing the fertility of marriage and cohabitation," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 32(14), pages 421-442.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mariana Fernández Soto & Benoît Laplante, 2020. "The effect of union dissolution on the fertility of women in Montevideo, Uruguay," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 43(4), pages 97-128.
    2. Maria Winkler-Dworak & Eva Beaujouan & Paola Di Giulio & Martin Spielauer, 2019. "Simulating Family Life Courses: An Application for Italy, Great Britain, and Scandinavia," VID Working Papers 1908, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna.
    3. Jan Van Bavel & Mieke Jansen & Belinda Wijckmans, 2012. "Has Divorce Become a Pro-Natal Force in Europe at the Turn of the 21st Century?," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 31(5), pages 751-775, October.
    4. Elizabeth Thomson & Maria Winkler-Dworak & Martin Spielauer & Alexia Prskawetz, 2012. "Union Instability as an Engine of Fertility? A Microsimulation Model for France," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(1), pages 175-195, February.
    5. Maria Winkler-Dworak & Eva Beaujouan & Paola Di Giulio & Martin Spielauer, 2021. "Simulating family life courses: An application for Italy, Great Britain, Norway, and Sweden," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 44(1), pages 1-48.
    6. Elena Pirani & Daniele Vignoli, 2021. "Childbearing Across Partnerships in Italy: Prevalence, Demographic Correlates, Social Gradient," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2021_15, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".
    7. Linus Andersson, 2023. "The Role of Gender Differences in Partnering and Re-partnering for Gender Differences in Completed Fertility," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(2), pages 1-28, April.
    8. LUPPI, FRANCESCA & Migheli, Matteo & Pronzato, Chiara, 2023. "Re-partnering and fertility," SocArXiv ejt8u, Center for Open Science.
    9. Luppi, Francesca & Migheli, Matteo & Pronzato, Chiara, 2023. "Re-partnering and fertility," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 202307, University of Turin.
    10. Ben Malinga John, 2023. "Neglected forces of fertility variation in sub-Saharan Africa: the role of marital dissolution and repartnering," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2023-031, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    11. Kathryn Grace & Stuart Sweeney, 2014. "Pathways to marriage and cohabitation in Central America," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 30(6), pages 187-226.
    12. Julia Hellstrand & Jessica Nisén & Mikko Myrskylä, 2021. "Less partnering, less children, or both? Analysis of the drivers of first-birth decline in Finland since 2010?," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2021-008, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    13. Michaela Kreyenfeld & Esther Geisler & Teresa Castro Martín & Tina Hannemann & Valerie Heintz-Martin & Marika Jalovaara & Hill Kulu & Silvia Meggiolaro & Dimitri Mortelmans & Inge Pasteels & Marta Sei, 2017. "Social policies, separation, and second birth spacing in Western Europe," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 37(37), pages 1245-1274.
    14. Benson John & Natalie Nitsche, 2022. "Marital life courses in sub-Saharan Africa: all cause union dissolution, its timing, and time spent outside marriage," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2022-017, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    15. Sofie Vanassche & Martine Corijn & Koen Matthijs & Gray Swicegood, 2015. "Repartnering and Childbearing After Divorce: Differences According to Parental Status and Custodial Arrangements," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 34(5), pages 761-784, October.
    16. Sara Yeatman & Christie Sennott & Steven Culpepper, 2013. "Young Women’s Dynamic Family Size Preferences in the Context of Transitioning Fertility," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(5), pages 1715-1737, October.
    17. Christine Schnor, 2014. "The Effect of Union Status at First Childbirth on Union Stability: Evidence from Eastern and Western Germany," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 30(2), pages 129-160, May.
    18. Paulina Gałęzewska & Brienna Perelli-Harris & Ann Berrington, 2017. "Cross-national differences in women's repartnering behaviour in Europe: The role of individual demographic characteristics," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 37(8), pages 189-228.
    19. Julia Hellstrand & Jessica Nisén & Mikko Myrskylä, 2022. "Less Partnering, Less Children, or Both? Analysis of the Drivers of First Birth Decline in Finland Since 2010," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 38(2), pages 191-221, May.
    20. Irakli Japaridze & Nagham Sayour, 2024. "Housing Affordability Crisis and Delayed Fertility: Evidence from the USA," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 43(2), pages 1-34, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:eurpop:v:39:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s10680-023-09668-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.