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Multipartnered fertility among American men
Karen Benjamin Guzzo1, Frank F Furstenberg
1Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania, 3718 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6298, USA. kguzzo@sas.upenn.edu
Demography
|October 5, 2007
Summary
Nearly 8% of American men have children with multiple partners, a rate higher among disadvantaged groups. This trend of multipartnered fertility is increasing in younger generations.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Demography
- Public Health
Background:
- Multipartnered fertility, or having children with more than one partner, is a growing area of demographic research.
- Previous studies have primarily focused on women, limiting understanding of male fertility patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the prevalence and correlates of multipartnered fertility among American men.
- To identify demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with having children with multiple partners.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), Cycle 6.
- Analyzed a representative sample of American men aged 15-44, focusing on fertility histories.
Main Results:
- Approximately 8% of men aged 15-44 reported children with more than one partner.
- Significant disparities observed by age, race/ethnicity, and income, with higher rates among poor Black men.
- Men with multipartnered fertility often experienced greater socioeconomic disadvantage.
Conclusions:
- Multipartnered fertility is a significant demographic phenomenon among American men, with notable disparities.
- Factors such as union status at prior birth and socioeconomic status are key correlates.
- Younger cohorts show increasing trends in multipartnered fertility, suggesting future demographic shifts.
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