Relinquishment of premarital births: evidence from national survey data.

ABSTRACT

PIP: Researchers analyzed data from the 1982 and 1988 cycles of the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) to look at trends in the giving up of children of unmarried women in the US and to examine factors which are linked to the decision to put a child up for adoption. Since the numbers of black and Hispanic women who relinquished a child were so small, the final analysis only included white women. Overall relinquishment fell over time, especially during the 1970s which may have been due to the increased access to abortion in the US in the early 1970s. A higher percentage of women relinquished their children before 1973, during 1973-1981, and 1982-1988 (19.3, 7.6, and 3.2 respectively) than black women (1.5, 0.2, and 1.1 respectively). Hispanic women rarely relinquished their children. Significant factors that influenced unmarried white women to place a child for adoption included month and year of birth (p.01), maternal education (p.01), and opportunity costs of becoming a parent. The most significant opportunity cost that played a role in decision making was conception occurred when the mother was not in school (p.01). The older the woman at time of birth the more likely she would relinquish the child (p,05). Further mother that had paid employment before birth tended to place the child for adoption (p,05). Women with sons were less likely to relinquish them than those with daughters (p.05). The authors suggested that these results be compared with those on decision making involving abortion. Specifically they should look at all behaviors resulting in pregnancy resolution decision as well as the cost and benefits of parenthood and its alternatives. Moreover they should conduct research that assesses attitude toward adoption, since attitude toward abortion among different population groups is well known.