Responsible 

Fatherhood 

Spotlight 

March 2008 

Take Time to Be a Dad Today 

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Fathers and Multiple-Partner Fertility 

Approximately one in seven men father children with more than one partner by the age of 40. This pattern 

of multiple-partner fertility varies by fathers’ age, race, socioeconomic status, marital status, family of 

origin, history of problem behaviors, and characteristics of previous children that they fathered. Read 

more.... 

Definition 

Multiple-partner fertility refers to the pattern of a man or a woman having biological children with more 

than one partner.i,ii,iii In the past, this pattern generally occurred as the result of widowhood or 

widowerhood and remarriage.iv Today, however, increases in divorce and childbearing outside of 

marriage are the main factors contributing to multiple-partner fertility.v

 

Importance and Implications of Multiple-Partner Fertility 

The limited body of research on multiple-partner fertility suggests that it can have negative consequences 

for fathers, partners, and children.vi 

Implications for Fathers and Their Partners 

• Fathers who have children with more than one woman may find it difficult to balance their financial 

and social responsibilities with more than one family.vii,viii,ix

• Men and their partners report lower relationship quality and higher conflict in their relationships in 

which either the mother or the father has had children with previous partners.x

• Although true especially for women, fathers who have had children with multiple partners reduce their 

chances of marrying in the future.xi,xii,xiii If these fathers do subsequently marry, they are likely to do 

so with women who also have children from previous relationships, which may increase the 

complexity of and strain on the new family and the marriage.xiv

Implications for Children 

Children whose fathers experience multiple-partner fertility may experience both social and financial 

hardships. This is especially the case for children from fathers’ previous relationships, as fathers may 

invest more time and money in the children from their current relationship and reduce child support 

payments and time spent with their children who live in other households.xv,xvi,xvii

Prevalence and Trends in Multiple-Partner Fertility Over Time 

Figure 1 shows that eight percent of all men aged 15 to 44 in 2002 have had children with multiple 

partners. In certain subsamples, however, the prevalence of men’s multiple-partner fertility may be much 

higher.xviii 

See page 2 
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Figure 1. Eight Percent of All Men Aged 15-44 in 2002 

Have Had Children With Multiple Partners

17%

22%

8%

53%

No Births

1 Birth

2+ Births, 

Single-Partner

Fertility

2+ Births, 

Multiple-Partner Fertility

Source: National Survey of Family Growth Cycle 6, 2002xix

Differences in Multiple-Partner Fertility by Subgroups 

Multiple-partner fertility is not limited to specific groups. This trend can be seen in individuals of all ages, 

races, marital statuses, education levels, and residency status. However, certain factors have been found 

to be more common among fathers who have children with multiple partners. 

Differences by Age 

Figure 2 shows that the proportion of men who have fathered children with more than one woman 

increases with age. An estimated 5 percent of men will experience multiple-partner fertility by age 25, and 

this proportion increases to an estimated 15 percent by age 40 (or more than 1 in 7).xx

Figure 2. Prevalence of Multiple-Partner Fertility Among 

Men Increases With Age*

5%

8%

12%

15%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

By Age 25 By Age 30 By Age 35 By Age 40

Source: National Survey of Family Growth Cycle 6, 2002xxi
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Differences by Race 

Multiple-partner fertility has been found to vary by race/ethnicity, with evidence suggesting that the 

prevalence is highest among Non-Hispanic African-American men.xxii, xxiii Nearly one-third (32 percent) of 

African-American men report having fathered children by more than one woman, compared with 17 

percent of Hispanic men and 14 percent of non-Hispanic white men (see Figure 3). 

Figure 6. Multiple-Partner Fertility Is More Prevalent 

Among African-American Men

Figure 3. Multiple-Partner Fertility Is More Prevalent Among 

African-American Fathers Aged 15-44 

14%

32%

17%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Non-Hispanic White Non-Hispanic Black Hispanic

Source: National Survey of Family Growth Cycle 6, 2002 

Differences by Socioeconomic Status

Studies have found that the prevalence of multiple-partner fertility is two-thirds lower among fathers who 

have a college degree than among fathers with less than a college education.xxiv Income and poverty 

status are also significantly related to the prevalence of multiple-partner fertility. Poor men are nearly 

twice as likely as men who are not poor to father children with multiple partners.xxv 

Differences by Marital Status 

Figure 4 shows that married individuals are less likely to have children with multiple partners than are 

unmarried individuals.xxvi Among all fathers, those who are neither married nor cohabiting experience 

much higher rates of multiple-partner fertility, compared with cohabiting fathers and married fathers. 

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Figur

Amo

e 8. Multiple-Partner Fertility Is Most Prevalent

ng Unmarried, Noncohabiting Fathers

11%

17%

42%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Married Cohabiting Neither Married nor

Cohabiting

Figure 4. Multiple-Partner Fertility Is Most Prevalent Among 

Unmarried, Noncohabiting Fathers 

Source: National Survey of Family Growth Cycle 6, 2002 

Figure 5 shows that most men who have children with more than one partner were married to at least 

one of those partners at the time of their first child’s birth. Approximately one-quarter only fathered 

children outside of marriage and 59 percent were not married at the time of their first child’s birth. Nearly 

half (46 percent) of fathers with multiple-partner fertility had at least one child within a marriage and one 

child outside a marriage. 

Figure 3. Multiple-Partner Fertility Occurs Within Marital 

and Nonmarital Unions

Figure 5. Fathers’ Multiple-Partner Fertility Occurs Within 

Marital and Nonmarital Unions 

29% 24%

16%

30%

Marital Only

Marital 1st Birth and 

> 1 Nonmarital Birth

Nonmarital 1st Birth and 

> 1 Marital Birth

Nonmarital Only

Source: National Survey of Family Growth Cycle 6, 2002xxvii

Differences by Fathers’ Problem Behaviors

Studies have found that fathers who have a history of incarceration or illegal drug use exhibit higher rates 

of multiple-partner fertility, compared with men who have no history of these behaviors.xxviii Figure 6

shows that larger proportions of men who had children with more than one woman reported ever having 

served time in jail and report higher illegal drug use. 
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Figure 5. Multiple-Partner Fertility is Linked to

Incarceration and Drug Use

61%

28% 27%

19%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Ever Been Jailed Ever Used Drugs in Past Year

Figure 6. Fathers’ Multiple-Partner Fertility Is Linked to 

Incarceration and Drug Use 

Multiple-Partner Fertility Single-Partner Fertility

Source: National Survey of Family Growth Cycle 6, 2002xxix

Differences by First Birth Characteristics

Figure 7 shows that multiple-partner fertility has also been found to vary according to men’s prior 

experience fathering a child. For example, the age of entry into fatherhood is associated with the 

likelihood of having children with multiple partners. Specifically, men who father a child before the age of 

20 have three times higher rates of subsequent births with different partners, compared with men who 

become fathers at later ages.xxx 

Figure 7. Prevalence of Multiple-Partner Fertility Among 

Fathers Declines With Older Age at Birth of First Child

4%

8%

23%

41%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

<20 20-24 25-29 30+

Age at Birth of First Child

Percent With Multiple-Partner Fertility

Source: National Survey of Family Growth Cycle 6, 2002xxxi
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Differences by Fathers’ Family of Origin

Studies have found that fathers who were raised in homes with both biological parents experience lower 

rates of multiple-partner fertility, compared with fathers who were raised in homes without two biological 

parents (see Figure 8).xxxii,xxxiii Men with children from multiple partners also are more likely to have had 

mothers who gave birth at an early age and who have lower levels of educational attainment.xxxiv

Figure 8. Prevalence of Multiple-Partner Fertility Is Lower 

Among Fathers Who Lived With Both Biological Parents

28%

24% 23%

15%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Both biological

parents

1 biological & 1

step/adoptive parent

Single biological

parent

Other, non-biological

parent household

Childhood Family Structure

Percent With Multiple-Partner Fertility

Source: National Survey of Family Growth Cycle 6, 2002xxxv

Definition of Measures 

Multiple-partner fertility refers to the pattern of having biological children with more than one partner, as 

noted. In the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), men were asked to report about their biological 

children both chronologically and in the context of their relationships with the children’s mothers, which 

allowed biological children to be linked to specific relationships.xxxvi

Data Sources 

The information in this snapshot was drawn from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG 

2002) male data file, collected by the National Center for Health Statistics. The NSFG 2002 is a nationally 

representative cross-sectional survey that oversamples certain groups, e.g., teens, Hispanics, and nonHispanic blacks. The graphs shown represent data from three samples of the survey respondents: 4,928 

men, including those who were fathers and those who were not; a subsample of 1,731 men who were 

fathers; and a subsample of 316 men who had fathered children with more than one woman and who had 

available fertility information. Children included only biological children (not stepchildren). 

Data Limitations 

The NSFG data used here are limited in that they rely on father reports of their childbearing histories. 

Research has shown that men tend to underreport their levels of fertility, either because they are unaware 

of children they have fathered or because they choose not to report them. xxxvii Furthermore, the sample is 

limited to men between the ages of 15 and 44. It is possible that men outside this age range (particularly 

older men) may have fathered children with multiple partners. Thus, the actual prevalence of men’s 

multiple-partner fertility may in fact be higher than what is represented by these data. 
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Resources 

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Promoting Responsible Fatherhood 

homepage contains information about federal and state initiatives to promote responsible fatherhood: 

http://fatherhood.hhs.gov 

• The National Fatherhood Initiative provides information to fathers and educators about increasing 

fathers’ involvement in the lives of their children: www.fatherhood.org 

• The National Center on Fathers and Families provides current research knowledge and 

information about programs, organizations, and policies aimed at increasing father involvement: 

http://fatherfamilylink.gse.upenn.edu/index.htm
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References

 

i

 Manning, W.D., & Smock, P.J. (1999). New families and nonresident father-child visitation. Social Forces, 78(1), 87-116. ii Manning, W.D., & Smock, P.J. (2000). Swapping families: Serial parenting and economic support for children. Journal of Marriage 

& the Family 62, 111-122. iii Mincy, R.B. (2001). Who should marry whom?: Multiple partner fertility among new parents. Paper presented at the Association for 

Public Policy Analysis and Management Research Conference, Washington, DC. 

iv Logan, C., Manlove, J., Ikramullah, E., & Cottingham, S. (2006). Men who father children with more than one woman: A 

contemporary portrait of multiple-partner fertility. Child Trends Research Brief (Publication No. 2006-10). Washington, DC: Child 

Trends. 

v

 Guzzo, K., & Furstenberg, F.F. (2006). Multi-partnered fertility among American men. Paper presented at the Population 

Association of America, Los Angeles, CA. 

vi Logan, C., Manlove, J., Ikramullah, E., & Cottingham, S. (2006). 

vii Manning, W.D., & Smock, P.J. (1999). 

viii Manning, W.D., & Smock, P.J. (2000). ix Mincy, R.B. (2001). 

x

 Carlson, M. & Furstenberg, F. (2005). The consequences of multi-partnered fertility for parental resources and relationships. Paper 

presented at the Annual Meetings of the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, Washington, DC. xi Ibid. 

xii Lichter, D.T., & Graife, D.R. (2001). Finding a mate? The martial and cohabitation histories of unwed mothers. In L.L. Wu, & B. 

Wolfe (Eds.), Out of wedlock: Causes and consequences of nonmarital fertility (pp. 317-343). New York: Russell Sage Foundation. xiii Upchurch, D.M., Lillard, L.A., & Panis, C.W.A. (2001). The impact of nonmarital childbearing on subsequent marital formation and 

dissolution. In L.L. Wu, & B. Wolfe (Eds.), Out of wedlock: Causes and consequences of nonmarital fertility (pp. 344-380). New 

York: Russell Sage Foundation. 

xiv Guzzo, K., & Furstenberg, F.F. (2006). xv Manning, W.D., & Smock, P.J. (1999). New families and nonresident father-child visitation. Social Forces, 78(1), 87-116. xvi Manning, W.D., & Smock, P.J. (2000). Swapping families: Serial parenting and economic support for children. Journal of Marriage 

& the Family 62, 111-122. xvii Mincy. R., & Huang, C.C. (2002). The “M” word: The rise and fall of interracial coalitions of fathers and welfare reform. Center for 

Research on Child Wellbeing, Working Paper #02-07-FF. 

xviii Logan, C., Manlove, J., Ikramullah, E., & Cottingham, S. (2006). xix Ibid. xx Ibid. 

xxi Ibid. xxii Carlson, M. J., & Furstenburg, F. F. (2006). The prevalence and correlates of multipartnered fertility among urban U.S. parents. 

Journal of Marriage and the Family, 68, 718-732. xxiii Logan, C., Manlove, J., Ikramullah, E., & Cottingham, S. (2006). xxiv Carlson, M. J., & Furstenburg, F. F. (2006). xxv Guzzo, K., & Furstenberg, F.F. (2006). . xxvi Logan, C., Manlove, J., Ikramullah, E., & Cottingham, S. (2006). xxvii Ibid.. xxviii Carlson, M. J., & Furstenburg, F. F. (2006). xxix Logan, C., Manlove, J., Ikramullah, E., & Cottingham, S. (2006). xxx Guzzo, K., & Furstenberg, F.F. (2006). xxxi Logan, C., Manlove, J., Ikramullah, E., & Cottingham, S. (2006). xxxii Carlson, M. J., & Furstenburg, F. F. (2006). xxxiii Logan, C., Manlove, J., Ikramullah, E., & Cottingham, S. (2006). xxxiv Guzzo, K., & Furstenberg, F.F. (2006). xxxv Logan, C., Manlove, J., Ikramullah, E., & Cottingham, S. (2006). xxxvi National Center for Health Statistics. (2004). Public use data file documentation: National Survey of Family Growth Cycle 6: 

2002, users’ guide. Hyattsville, MD. xxxvii Rendell, M.S., Clarke, L., Peters, H. D., Ranged, N., & Verrapolou, G. (1997). Incomplete reporting of male fertility in the United 

States and Britain: A research note. Unpublished manuscript, Cornell University.