In all societies, women with the least education, who are usually poor, start a union earlier than women with more schooling. Early marriage generally leads to early motherhood. By age 20, at least one third of women in most countries, and two thirds or more in some, have had a baby. Women who marry early are also likely to have many children in quick succession. Although early marriage or union is the norm in much of the developing world, women are beginning to postpone making this commitment, largely because they are staying in school longer.
Later marriage is increasingly common in Asia, the Middle East and some parts of Latin America.