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Why Do Poor Men Have Children? Fertility Intentions among Low-Income Unmarried U.S. Fathers

Author

Listed:
  • Jennifer March Augustine

    (Department of Sociology and research trainee at the Population Research Center, University of Texas at Austin)

  • Timothy Nelson

    (Harvard University)

  • Kathryn Edin

    (Harvard University)

Abstract

Over the past several decades, nonmarital childbearing rates have risen sharply, especially among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. Recent research suggests that disadvantaged Americans may defer or delay marriage in part because of perceived economic barriers. Yet, childbearing is also costly. Few studies have examined low-income parents' motivations for having children in a context of socioeconomic disadvantage. This study deploys qualitative data drawn from repeated, in-depth interviews with a heterogeneous sample of low-income, noncustodial fathers ( N = 171) in which men describe in rich detail the circumstances surrounding the conceptions of each of their children and characterize their fertility intentions. The authors find that “planned†and “unplanned†pregnancies are at either end of a continuum of intentionality and that the vast majority of pregnancies are in intermediate categories along that continuum.

Suggested Citation

  • Jennifer March Augustine & Timothy Nelson & Kathryn Edin, 2009. "Why Do Poor Men Have Children? Fertility Intentions among Low-Income Unmarried U.S. Fathers," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 624(1), pages 99-117, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:624:y:2009:i:1:p:99-117
    DOI: 10.1177/0002716209334694
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Daniël C. Wijk & Helga A. G. Valk & Aart C. Liefbroer, 2022. "Economic Precariousness and the Transition to Parenthood: A Dynamic and Multidimensional Approach," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 38(3), pages 457-483, August.
    2. Layla Van den Berg & Karel Neels, 2024. "Ethnic Variation in the Link between Women’s Relative Employment Positions and Entry into Parenthood in Belgium," Societies, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-20, April.
    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.

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