# Presentation: 706808

## Factors Associated with Multiple-Partner Fertility Among Fathers

- Cassandra Logan
- Jennifer Manlove
- Erum Ikramullah
- Emily Holcombe

- **Support for this research provided by NICHD**

## Research Questions

- What is the prevalence of multiple-partner fertility among males?
- Are family and individual socio-demographic factors associated with multiple-partner fertility among males?
- 3.   Are characteristics of men’s first birth and first partner associated with their likelihood of experiencing multiple-partner fertility?

## Research Questions

- 4.  Do family, individual, and first birth characteristics differentiate men who experience multiple-partner fertility in only nonmarital relationships from those who experience multiple-partner fertility in at least one marital relationship?
- 5.  Are there cohort differences in experiencing multiple-partner fertility in only nonmarital relationships vs. experiencing multiple-partner fertility in at least one marital relationship?

## Multiple-Partner Fertility: Definition and Context

- Multiple-partner fertility is defined as having biological children with more than one partner
- Resulting from demographic shifts in marriage patterns

## Motivations for the Study

- Little is known about multiple-partner fertility among fathers
- Multiple-partner fertility is problematic for men and their partners
- Multiple-partner fertility has potentially negative consequences for children

## Data

**National Survey of Family Growth 2002 (NSFG2002)**
- Nationally representative cross-sectional survey of males and females aged 15-44 in 2002
**Analytic Sample**
- 1,731 men who reported at least one biological child
- 316 men who reported fathering children with more than one woman
**Analytic Sample for Separate Cohort Analyses**
- 1,272 men who reported at least one biological child by age 30
- 157 men who reported fathering children with more than one woman by age 30
**Females not included because births not linked to relationship histories**

## Methods

**Descriptive and bivariate analyses**
**Logistic regression**
- DV: Multiple-partner fertility vs. Single-partner fertility
**Multinomial logistic regression**
- DV: Three-level multiple-partner fertility variable by marital status
- Nonmarital only multiple-partner fertility
- Multiple-partner fertility with at least one marital birth
- Single-partner fertility

## 1st Dependent Variable: Multiple-Partner Fertility vs. Single-Partner Fertility

**Multiple-Partner Fertility**
**N=316**

**Single-Partner Fertility**
**N=1,415**

**1****st**** Dependent Variable: Multiple-Partner Fertility vs. Single-Partner Fertility**

## 2nd Dependent Variable: Multiple-Partner Fertility by Marital Status

**Nonmarital Only**
**N=128**

**Single-Partner Fertility**
**N=1,415**

**MPF With At Least 1 Marital Birth**
**N=188**

## Independent Variables

- Age
- Race/ethnicity
- Foreign born status
- Respondents’ parents’ marital status at birth
- Family structure at age 14
- Number of siblings
- Mother’s labor force status when R was aged 5-15
- Parent education
- Mother was a teen mom
- Age at first sex
- Age at first birth
- Marital/cohabitation status at first birth
- Number of children with first mother

## Results

## Research Question #2:Are family and individual socio-demographic factors associated with multiple-partner fertility among males?

## Multivariate Analyses:Predictors of Multiple-Partner Fertility with Individual and Family Characteristics Controls 

| Individual and Family Characteristics | Model 1                                                                                                                      |
| --- | --- |
| Current age | + |
| Race/Ethnicity (white/other=ref) |  |
|   Hispanic | + |
|   Non-Hispanic black | + |
| Foreign born | - |
| Family Structure (2 bio=ref) |  |
|   Other | + |

## Research Question #3:Are characteristics of men’s first birth and first partner associated with their likelihood of experiencing multiple-partner fertility?

## Multivariate Analyses:Predictors of Multiple-Partner Fertility with all Controls 

| First Birth Characteristics | Model 2                                                                                                                      |
| --- | --- |
| Current Age | + |
| Age at First Sex | - |
| Age at First Birth | - |
| Marital Status at First Birth (married=ref) |  |
|   Neither Married nor Cohabitating | + |
| Number of Kids with First Mother | - |

## Research Question #4:Do family, individual, and first birth characteristics differentiate men who experience multiple-partner fertility in only nonmarital relationships from those who experience multiple-partner fertility in at least one marital relationship?

## Multiple-Partner Fertility Occurs Within Marital and Nonmarital Unions

**Nonmarital Only**

**Nonmarital 1****st**** Birth **
**and **_**>**_** 1 Marital Birth**

**Marital Only**

**Marital 1****st**** Birth and **
_**>**_**1 Nonmarital Birth**

## Multivariate Analyses:Nonmarital Multiple-Partner Fertility vs. Multiple-Partner Fertility with at Least 1 Marital Birth 

| 

Individual and Family Characteristics | Nonmarital
MPF vs. MPF With ≥1  Marital Birth                                                                                                                    |
| --- | --- |
| Current age | - |
| Race/Ethnicity (white/other=ref) |  |
|   Hispanic | + |
|   Non-Hispanic black | + |

## Multivariate Analyses: Multiple-Partner Fertility vs. Single-Partner Fertility 

| Individual, Family, and First Birth Characteristics | Nonmarital
MPF vs. SPF | MPF with > 1 Marital Birth vs. SPF |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Current age | + | + |
| Race/Ethnicity (white/other=ref) |  |  |
|   Hispanic | + | NS |
|   Non-Hispanic black | + | NS |
| Family Structure (2 bio=ref) |  |  |
|   Single Biological Parent | + | NS |
| Mother worked full-time during childhood | + | NS |
| Age at First Sex | - | - |
| Age at First Birth | - | - |
| Number of Kids with First Mother | - | - |

## Research Question #5:Are there cohort differences in experiencing multiple-partner fertility in only nonmarital relationships vs. experiencing multiple-partner fertility in at least one marital relationship? 

## Prevalence of Marital and Nonmarital Multiple-Partner Fertility by Age 30 Varies By Cohort

## Bivariate Analysis of Multiple-Partner Fertility by Age 30 

|   |  MPF vs. SPF | Nonmarital Only MPF vs. MPF with ≥1 Marital Birth | Nonmarital Only MPF vs. SPF | MPF with ≥1 Marital Birth vs. SPF |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cohort (1957-1962 = ref.) |  |   |  |  |
|   1963-1967 | - | + | + | - |
|   1968-1972 | NS | + | + | - |

**Bivariate Analysis of Multiple-Partner Fertility by Age 30**** **

## Multivariate Analyses:Predictors of Multiple-Partner Fertility by Age 30 with All Controls 

|   |  MPF vs. SPF | Nonmarital Only MPF vs. MPF with ≥1 Marital Birth | Nonmarital Only MPF vs. SPF | MPF with ≥1 Marital Birth vs. SPF |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cohort (1957-1962 = ref.) |  |   |  |  |
|   1963-1967 | - | NS | NS | - |
|   1968-1972 | NS | NS | NS | - |

**Multivariate Analyses:****Predictors of Multiple-Partner Fertility by Age 30 with All Controls**

## Limitations of Current Study

- Recall bias: men may under-report fertility information
- Small sample size does not allow us to differentiate marital-only multiple-partner fertility

## Summary of Findings

- 17% of fathers experience multiple-partner fertility
- One in four births are to men who have had children with multiple partners
- Multiple-partner fertility occurs to men with varied relationship histories
- Socio-demographic factors are associated with multiple-partner fertility (age, race/ethnicity, family structure)
- Racial and ethnic minorities and men who had their first birth at a younger age have the greatest odds of _nonmarital_ multiple-partner fertility

## Implications

- Early sexual experience is associated with multiple-partner fertility
- Programs effective at delaying early sex and childbearing may help to reduce multiple-partner fertility
- Timing and circumstances of first birth is linked to multiple-partner fertility
- Programs effective at helping men to delay first births and fostering healthy marriages/relationships when they do have children may help reduce multiple-partner fertility
- Men in more recent birth cohorts have greater odds of experiencing nonmarital-only multiple-partner fertility

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