Union instability and fertility in three Caribbean societies
Wright, R.E.; Madan, A.K.
Journal of Biosocial Science 20(1): 37-43
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-9320 PMID: 3339032 DOI: 10.1017/s0021932000017235Document Number: 351242
This paper examines the relationship between sexual union instability and fertility in 3 English-speaking Caribbean societies--Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad/Tobago--using data collected in the World Fertility Program. There is usually a positive association between marital stability and fertility, the main reason being that marital instability causes periods of time in which a woman is not sexually active. High levels of divorce and marital separation are likely factors making for lower levels of aggregate fertility. To examine this relationship, this study used an index of cumulative fertility, the duration ratio, that controls for the biological effects of age, and age at 1st union was used as the dependent variable in a multiple regression analysis. The study demonstrated that despite many similarities between the 3 societies, there are also clear differences in terms of how membership in different types of sexual unions interacts with fertility. 1 main conclusion was that there is a positive association between the number of sexual unions and fertility, (in keeping with previous research on these societies). However, the factors were not uniform across the 3 societies. In Guyana marriage had the greatest effect on fertility while in Jamaica the 2 most unstable unions--visiting and common-law--had the greatest effect. In Trinidad/Tobago marriage and common-law had the greatest effect.