Understanding Race-Ethnic Differences in Unintended Fertility
Race-ethnic differences in unintended fertility are well-documented and persistent, yet the reasons behind these differences are not well understood. I focus on two possible causes of unintended fertility differentials: sexual literacy and motivation to avoid pregnancy. I explore these two "distal determinants" in a unique dataset of unmarried young men and women aged 18-29, finding that there are, indeed, differences in knowledge about the reproductive process, attitudes toward contraception, and motivation to avoid a pregnancy across race-ethnic groups. I conclude by discussing the implications of these findings and future steps for research