Re-partnering and fertility

European divorce rates have been on the rise since the 1970s. At the same time, as more couples opt for cohabitation over marriage, there has been an increase in separations among cohabiting partners. Nearly 50% of separated individuals form new relationships within five years. These trends may have implications for fertility research. Are re-partnered mothers more likely to continue bearing children than never-separated mothers? Does quick re-partnering lead to the recovery of births “lost” due to separation? To answer these questions, we use longitudinal data from 2004 to 2018 for 32 European countries. We find that mothers in higher order unions are - on average – more likely to have one more child than those who already have children with their current partner. The former seem to be less burdened by already having children and less concerned about family income. Our data show that if separation occurs at a relatively young age and re-partnering occurs relatively quickly, then births lost to union dissolution can be recovered.