Miscarriage, Childlessness, and the Risk of Union Dissolution among Married and Cohabiting Young-Adult Couples in the United States

Childbearing is a common way that many persons expect and are expected to deepen the bonds of their romantic relationships. This paper looks at what happens to marital and cohabiting relationships when this pathway to intimacy is interrupted. Using waves I, III, and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, I employ event history methods to investigate the influence of miscarriage(s) on the risk of union dissolution. I find that miscarriage is associated with a greater risk of dissolution for married childless couples but not for cohabiting childless couples. For married and cohabiting couples with children, miscarriage does not increase the risk of divorce or separation. These findings illuminate the relational dimensions of subfecundity and draw attention to the influence that unexpected health events can have on family relationships. Additionally, this paper provides new evidence that marriage and cohabitation remain distinct with respect to childbearing in the US.