Perceived Costs and Benefits of Early Childbearing: New Dimensions and Predictive Power.

ABSTRACT:

Context

Understanding the causes of early childbearing is important for reducing the persistently high rates of early births in the United States. Perceptions of possible benefits may contribute to these rates, while high opportunity costs may dissuade women from early childbearing.

Methods

Perceptions of costs and benefits of pregnancy, as well as later experiences of pregnancy, were assessed for 701 nulligravid women aged 18-22 who entered the Relationship Dynamics and Social Life study in 2008-2009 and were interviewed weekly for up to 30 months. Bivariate t tests, chi-square tests and multivariable discrete-time event history analyses were used to assess associations of perceived personal consequences of childbearing (e.g., predicted financial costs), goals in potentiall

SUBMITTER: Hayford SR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4909541 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature