Changing patterns of extramarital conceptions in the Czech Republic, 1960-93
Stloukal, L.
Journal of Biosocial Science 29(4): 471-489
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-9320 PMID: 9881147 DOI: 10.1017/s0021932097004719Document Number: 269753
This study examines the extent of extramarital births, marital births occurring in first 7 months after marriage, and spontaneous and induced abortions in the Czech Republic during 1960-93. Conception rates are estimated based on the Carmichael method (1985). The total marital conception rate fluctuated during 1960-93. Marital conceptions peaked at about 2.6 per woman in the early 1960s, during 1972-75, and during 1987-88. Marital conceptions declined to under 2.4 per woman during 1967-69, 1979-86, and after 1991. The changes in marital fertility followed changes in political circumstances. Political changes had less impact on nonmarital pregnancies. The trend in nonmarital conceptions showed a large long-term increase that rose from 0.7 in the early 1960s to 1.1 during 1987-90. After 1990, extramarital conceptions declined to below 1.0. The extramarital proportion of total conceptions rose in a nonlinear pattern from under 20% to over 30% during 1960-93. Extramarital conceptions were low among women younger than 19 or older than 35. The highest rates of extramarital conception occurred among women 20-24 and 25-29 years old. Extramarital conceptions fluctuated the most among women in their 20s. Extramarital conception rates among women 15-19 and 20-24 years old increased over time until 1987, after which rates declined. Changes in conceptions after 1987 are attributed to post-communist reform. The proportion of extramarital conceptions that resulted in marriage was highest among women 15-29 years old. The pattern of induced abortion follows legal changes on abortion. Extramarital pregnancies leading to induced abortion declined sharply at almost all ages after 1989. Nonmarital childbirth was more common during 1989-93. Spontaneous abortion was low for all ages, with exception of women 40-44 and 45-49 years old. Troughs in induced abortion corresponded to peaks in marital births.