Do perceptions of their partners' childbearing desires affect young women's pregnancy risk? Further study of ambivalence. (2nd January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Miller, Warren B.; Barber, Jennifer S.; Schulz, Paul
• Is Part Of: Population studies. Volume 71:Number 1(2017)
• Page Start: 101
• Page End: 116
• Publication Date: 2017-01-02
• Subjects: childbearing desires -- ambivalence -- indifference -- pronatalism -- antinatalism -- perception of partner -- pregnancy risk -- unplanned pregnancy -- accuracy of perception -- partner agreement; Demography -- Periodicals; Population -- Periodicals; 304.605
• DOI: 10.1080/00324728.2016.1253858
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-4728

Abstract

Abstract : We explore whether young women's perceptions of their sexual partners' childbearing desires contribute to their risk of pregnancy. We used weekly journal data collected from 787 young women to measure their childbearing desires and their perceptions of their partners' childbearing desires. We then conducted hazard modelling to predict pregnancy risk with variables based on interactions between the women's desires and their perceived partners' desires. Models that include perceived partners' desires perform better than one based on women's desires alone. The best model contains three significant predictors: one confirms the importance of pronatal, ambivalent, and indifferent desires for pregnancy risk; one indicates that the perceived partners' antinatal desires reduce women's pregnancy risk; and one suggests that women who both perceive their partners accurately and are in agreement with them have a lower pregnancy risk. The results indicate that perceived partner data can improve prediction and enhance our understanding of pregnancy risk.