Religious affiliation and contraceptive usage: changing American patterns, 1955-82

Area of Science:

• Sociology of Religion
• Reproductive Health
• Demography

Background:

• Historical trends in contraceptive use show significant variations across religious groups in the United States.
• Early differences in contraceptive adoption correlated with fertility rate disparities between Catholics and Protestants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze national estimates of contraceptive usage patterns among white women from 1955-1982.
• To examine changes and persistent differences in contraceptive use across major religious populations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from multiple national surveys spanning 1955 to 1982.
• Employed multivariate controls to isolate religious influences from socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors.

Main Results:

• By 1982, all religious groups showed decreased expected family size and adopted effective contraception (sterilization, pill, IUD).
• Despite convergence, significant differences in contraceptive use styles remained among Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and the non-affiliated.
• Multiple pathways to achieving low fertility were observed across different religious groups.

Conclusions:

• Religious communities, social norms, and communication patterns likely explain persistent differences in contraceptive use styles.
• These findings suggest that religious affiliation continues to shape reproductive health behaviors beyond socioeconomic status.