By Andy Merrett
Jul 13, 2007

Over one-third of US births to unmarried mothers, survey suggests

New data released by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics suggests that, in 2005, births to unmarried mothers accounted for over one-third of the total births in the United States, at 37%.

However, pregnancy amongst teenagers fell, thanks to reduced sexual activity, or the increased use of contraception.

The report, perhaps controversially, also suggests that children born to unmarried mothers are more likely to have a lower birth weight, higher mortality rate, and are at higher risk of living in poverty.

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Having said that, single mothers who have significant economic resources don’t generally have these problems.

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