The effect of government policies on out-of-wedlock sex and pregnancy

Abstract

Neither the level of AFDC benefits nor the AFDC acceptance rate appear to serve as economic incentives to out-of-wedlock childbearing; nor does the availability of contraception and abortion seem to encourage teenagers to initiate sexual activity. However, the availability of subsidized family planning services does apparently lower pregnancy rates, especially among black teenagers; and the availability of abortion seems to reduce substantially the incidence of out-of-wedlock childbearing, especially among whites.