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TABLE 1. PCM by Race/Ethnicity

Survey question: Listed below are some of the reasons women give for becoming pregnant and having a child. Which of these reasons were important to you the last time you became pregnant?

Responding important (%)

Reason

White

Black

Hispanic


Feeling a baby move inside me 76.5 77.2 82.7
Giving my partner the joy of fatherhood** 53.9 59.1 73.3
Giving birth to a baby 84.3 81.8 73.3
Holding and cuddling a baby 92.3 82.2 83.8
Devoting myself to raising children 84.6 84.3 86.5
Having a child who will carry on my values 82.4 83.6 78.7
Strengthening my relationship with my partner 46 48.9 51.4
Being the center of a large family** 40.4 30.6 54.2
Fulfilling my religious beliefs about family life 45.1 46.2 57.5
Providing my parents with a grandchild** 40.8 42 60
Having a child who will be successful in life 82.7 78.9 85.3
Playing with my child* 94.2 82.2 85.3
Teaching and guiding my child 96.2 91.3 87.8
Feeling needed and useful through my baby 65.4 76.4 79.7
Having a child who will support me later in life** 21.2 39.9 52.8
Feeling more complete as a woman** 28.9 50.7 65.3
Having a son** 42.3 46.9 62.2
Having a daughter** 46.2 50.4 67.1
Having my friends admire me with my baby** 13.5 19.2 46
Getting additional financial support* 15.7 27.9 32.9
Number of respondents

52

278

75

Note. PCM = positive childbearing motivations.

* Indicates statistically significant chi-square at .05 < p < .1.

** Indicates statistically significant chi-square at p < .05.





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