SEQUENCING OF PLANNED AND UNPLANNED BIRTHS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR MID- AND LATER-LIFE HEALTH AMONG NLSY79 WOMEN

Abstract Existing studies demonstrate that unplanned births (e.g., unwanted, mistimed) are associated with worse health for mothers in the short-term and—according to some preliminary evidence—in mid- and later-life. Yet as life course reproductive career frameworks highlight, childbearing experiences often unfold over a number of years, considerable amount diversity pregnancy birth even same individual. For example, person may have an late adolescence followed by only planned early adulthood. In order provide more holistic understanding how birthing midlife health, we use Sequence Analysis (SA) on 1979 National Longitudinal Survey Youth (NLSY79; N=3,992) examine patterning is physical mental at ages 50 60 (SF-12). Preliminary analysis indicates compared respondents births, birth(s) midlife, but there no difference birth(s). Future SA will consider detailed sequences timing, type, ordering, spacing) these later-life outcomes, taking into account selection factors such childhood SES educational attainment. This project demonstrates need perspectives long-term implications recognizing within between individuals.