On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Unmarried Couples on Tuesday, August 14, 2012.
More and more unmarried couples are choosing to live together. With this trend, over the past several years, there has also been an increase in the number of children born to unmarried parents.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the overall percentage of children born to non-married couples, who were cohabitating, made up 23 percent of all live births in 2006-2010 in the U.S. In 2002, births to cohabitating women made up 14 percent of total births.
Data also points to the fact that when it comes to births, unintended pregnancy is more common among unmarried women than married women.
When looking at why there has been increase, the director of domestic research for the Guttmacher Institute points to the fact that more unmarried couples are deciding to live together.
Additionally, one Bowling Green State University sociologist is quick to point out that many people who are living together also consider themselves to be in committed relationships. And while they may not necessarily be trying to get pregnant, they also aren’t avoiding the possibility.
The recent government report does not speak to the break up rate of these cohabitating unmarried couples with children. But, one thing that is known for sure is that child custody issues can become quite contentious, confusing and murky when two parents are not married.
This is why it’s important for parents who are not married to talk with a family law attorney to learn their rights as a parent when attempting to gain custody of a child or to work out a visitation schedule.
Source: USA Today, “Cohabitating women having more babies,” Sharon Jayson, July 24, 2012
Our firm handles cases involving child custody involving unmarried parents. To learn more, please visit our Missouri custody issues for non-married parents’ page.
