We use the exogenous variation in fertility caused by a twin birth to measure the impact of an unplanned child on a woman’s marital status. Contrary to previous research, we find that an unplanned child has little effect on the married mother’s probability of subsequent divorce or remarriage. For unmarried mothers we find that an unplanned child does reduce the likelihood of marriage, but that ...

This study addresses the debate over whether higher-order marriages will help offset the expected loss of social support from kin due to divorce for future generations of the elderly. We use data from the first wave of the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH1, 1987-1988) to examine the effects of marriage, marital disruption, and remarriage on perceptions of overall support and sup...

WITH WIDER ACCESS TO ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY, PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV ARE RECONSIDERING THEIR REPRODUCTIVE DECISIONS: remarrying and having children. The purpose of the paper is to explore sources of information for reproductive decision used by couples living with HIV in patrilineal and matrilineal districts of Malawi. Data were collected from forty couples from July to December 2010. Our result...

Gordon Wenham is Professor of Old Testament, University of Gloucestershire, and is known internationally for his scholarship. He is the author of numerous books and ar ticles, including the two volume commentary on Genesis in the Word Biblical Commentary series. His most recent book is Story as Torah: Reading the Old Testament Ethically. He is also the co-author of the book Jesus and Divorce. “...