Trends in Family Formation Patterns in Less Developed Countries: Estimates from Life Table Models

Margaret M. Weden, Johns Hopkins University

In this paper we use multiple decrement life tables for Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru and the Philippines to estimate the expected years a woman in these countries spend in the following four states: 1) single and childless; 2) single mother; 3) married and childless; and 4) married mother. We use data from the World Fertility Survey of these 8 countries conducted in approximately 1980 and a Demographic and Health Survey conducted after 1995. Our preliminary results indicate a widespread increase in the age at marriage for women in these countries, but different age patterns of increase. There appears to have been a decline in the years spent married and childless and a large relative, but small absolute increase in the number of years spent as a single mother.