IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v63y2006i2p335-346.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Marital status disparities in maternal smoking during pregnancy, breastfeeding and maternal depression

Author

Listed:
  • Kiernan, Kathleen
  • Pickett, Kate E.

Abstract

One of the dramatic recent changes in family life in Western nations has been the rise in non-marital childbearing. Much of this increase is attributable to the growth in cohabitation. But in some countries, notably the UK (and the USA) this is much less the case with significant proportions of children being born to parents who are not living together. This study uses data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a British birth cohort established in 2001, to examine whether the closeness of the tie between parents, as assessed by their partnership status at birth, is related to smoking during pregnancy, breastfeeding and maternal depression. Four sets of parents are distinguished representing a hierarchy of bonding or connectedness: married and cohabiting parents, and two groups of solo mothers, those closely involved with the father at the time of the birth and those not in a relationship. Smoking in pregnancy, breastfeeding and maternal depression tests for trend, adjusted for socio-demographic factors, showed that there was a statistically increased risk of adverse health and health behaviours by degree of parental connectedness. There were also consistent and statistically significant differences between married and non-married mothers. Particularly noteworthy was the finding that cohabiting mothers have greater risk of adverse outcomes than married women. Among the non-married set, there were also differences in risk of adverse outcomes. For smoking in pregnancy, the key difference for continuing to smoke throughout the pregnancy lay between mothers involved with partners and those lacking an intimate relationship. For breastfeeding, stronger parental bonds were associated with initiation of breastfeeding, with a clear difference between cohabiting mothers compared to solo mothers. There was also an increased risk of maternal depression with looser parental bonding, and among non-married groups this increased risk was most noticeable among cohabiting mothers when compared with solo mothers.

Suggested Citation

  • Kiernan, Kathleen & Pickett, Kate E., 2006. "Marital status disparities in maternal smoking during pregnancy, breastfeeding and maternal depression," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(2), pages 335-346, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:63:y:2006:i:2:p:335-346
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277-9536(06)00007-4
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    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. Wakschlag, Lauren S. & Pickett, Kate E. & Middlecamp, Molly K. & Walton, Laura L. & Tenzer, Penny & Leventhal, Bennett L., 2003. "Pregnant smokers who quit, pregnant smokers who don't: does history of problem behavior make a difference?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(12), pages 2449-2460, June.
    2. Gunnar Andersson, 2002. "Children's experience of family disruption and family formation: Evidence from 16 FFS countries," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 7(7), pages 343-364.
    3. Wakschlag, L.S. & Pickett, K.E. & Cook Jr., E. & Benowitz, N.L. & Leventhal, B.L., 2002. "Maternal smoking during pregnancy and severe antisocial behavior in offspring: A review," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 92(6), pages 966-974.
    4. Marcia Carlson & Sara Mclanahan & Paula England, 2004. "Union formation in fragile families," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 41(2), pages 237-261, May.
    5. Najman, Jake M. & Aird, Rosemary & Bor, William & O'Callaghan, Michael & Williams, Gail M. & Shuttlewood, Gregory J., 2004. "The generational transmission of socioeconomic inequalities in child cognitive development and emotional health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(6), pages 1147-1158, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jackson, Dylan B., 2016. "Breastfeeding duration and offspring conduct problems: The moderating role of genetic risk," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 128-136.
    2. Frank W. Heiland & Shirley H. Liu, 2006. "Family structure and wellbeing of out-of-wedlock children," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 15(4), pages 61-104.
    3. Deon A Simpson & Maria A Quigley & Jennifer J Kurinczuk & Claire Carson, 2019. "Twenty-five-year trends in breastfeeding initiation: The effects of sociodemographic changes in Great Britain, 1985-2010," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, January.
    4. Julie Boucher & Anne T. M. Konkle, 2016. "Understanding Inequalities of Maternal Smoking—Bridging the Gap with Adapted Intervention Strategies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-16, March.
    5. Teresa Castro Martín, 2010. "Single motherhood and low birthweight in Spain," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 22(27), pages 863-890.
    6. Juho Härkönen & Hande Kaymakçalan & Pirjo Mäki & Anja Taanila, 2012. "Prenatal Health, Educational Attainment, and Intergenerational Inequality: The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(2), pages 525-552, May.
    7. Min Lian & Pamela A Madden & Michael T Lynskey & Graham A Colditz & Christina N Lessov-Schlaggar & Mario Schootman & Andrew C Heath, 2016. "Geographic Variation in Maternal Smoking during Pregnancy in the Missouri Adolescent Female Twin Study (MOAFTS)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(4), pages 1-13, April.
    8. Laura J. Brown & Sarah Myers & Abigail E. Page & Emily H. Emmott, 2020. "Subjective Environmental Experiences and Women’s Breastfeeding Journeys: A Survival Analysis Using an Online Survey of UK Mothers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-27, October.
    9. Hideko Matsuo, 2006. "The Postponement of Motherhood and its Child Health Consequences: Birth Weight and Weight Gain during the First Year of Life," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 4(1), pages 91-114.
    10. Buckles, Kasey, 2017. "Maternal Socio-Economic Status and the Well-Being of the Next Generation(s)," IZA Discussion Papers 10714, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Panico, Lidia & Bartley, Melanie & Kelly, Yvonne J & McMunn, Anne & Sacker, Amanda, 2019. "Family structure trajectories and early child health in the UK: Pathways to health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 232(C), pages 220-229.

    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. Laura Tach & Kathryn Edin, 2013. "The Compositional and Institutional Sources of Union Dissolution for Married and Unmarried Parents in the United States," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 50(5), pages 1789-1818, October.
    2. David Blau & Wilbert Klaauw, 2008. "A demographic analysis of the family structure experiences of children in the United States," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 193-221, September.
    3. Laura Tach & Kathryn Edin, 2011. "The Relationship Contexts of Young Disadvantaged Men," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 635(1), pages 76-94, May.
    4. Ronald Mincy & Jennifer Hill & Marilyn Sinkewicz, 2009. "Marriage: Cause or mere indicator of future earnings growth?," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(3), pages 417-439.
    5. Sara McLanahan, 2009. "Children in Fragile Families," Working Papers 1191, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    6. Nancy E. Reichman & Hope Corman & Kelly Noonan, 2013. "Effects of Mental Health on Couple Relationship Status," Working Papers 1473, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    7. Kulic, Nevena, 2013. "The type and duration of family unions and income sharing: The implications for women's economic well-being," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 7-15.
    8. Marcia J. Carlson & Robin S. Högnäs, 2010. "Coparenting in Fragile Families," Working Papers 1188, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    9. Robin S. H�gn�s & Marcia J. Carlson, 2009. "Intergenerational Relationships and Union Stability in Fragile Families," Working Papers 1174, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    10. Brian B. Boutwell & Kevin M. Beaver, 2010. "Maternal Cigarette Smoking during Pregnancy and Offspring Externalizing Behavioral Problems: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-18, January.
    11. Marcia J. Carlson & Sara S. McLanahan, 2009. "Fathers in Fragile Families," Working Papers 1189, Princeton University, School of Public and International Affairs, Center for Research on Child Wellbeing..
    12. Viviana Salinas, 2016. "Changes in Cohabitation After the Birth of the First Child in Chile," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 35(3), pages 351-375, June.
    13. repec:pri:crcwel:wp03-08-ff-osborne is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Nancy Reichman & Hope Corman & Kelly Noonan, 2015. "Effects of maternal depression on couple relationship status," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 13(4), pages 929-973, December.
    15. Laura Cavalli & Alessandro Bucciol & Paolo Pertile & Veronica Polin & Nicola Sartor & Alessandro Sommacal, 2012. "Modelling life-course decisions for the analysis of interpersonal and intrapersonal redistribution," Working Papers 25/2012, University of Verona, Department of Economics.
    16. repec:pri:crcwel:wp07-07-ff is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Kelly Musick & Katherine Michelmore, 2018. "Cross-National Comparisons of Union Stability in Cohabiting and Married Families With Children," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(4), pages 1389-1421, August.
    18. Laura Tach & Kathryn Edin & Hope Harvey & Brielle Bryan, 2014. "The Family-Go-Round," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 654(1), pages 169-184, July.
    19. Modin, Bitte & Koupil, Ilona & Vågerö, Denny, 2009. "The impact of early twentieth century illegitimacy across three generations. Longevity and intergenerational health correlates," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(9), pages 1633-1640, May.
    20. Sar, Bibhuti K. & Antle, Becky F. & Bledsoe, Linda K. & Barbee, Anita P. & Van Zyl, Michiel A., 2010. "The importance of expanding home visitation services to include strengthening family relationships for the benefit of children," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 198-205, February.
    21. James M. Raymo & Miho Iwasawa & Larry Bumpass, 2008. "Cohabitation and Family Formation in Japan," ISER Discussion Paper 0714, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    22. Maria Cancian & Ron Haskins, 2014. "Changes in Family Composition," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 654(1), pages 31-47, July.

    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:eee:socmed:v:63:y:2006:i:2:p:335-346. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

    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.