From the U.S. Census Bureau

One in six first births to women 15 to 29 years old in 1930-34 were conceived before marriage compared to one in two births in 1990-94. During 1990-94, 41 percent of first births were born out-of-wedlock, 12 percent were conceived before women's first marriage and the remainder were conceived post maritally. Significant differences were found in the proportion of first births either premaritally born or conceived between white women (45 percent) and black women (86 percent). Hispanic women had an intermediate proportion of first births either premaritally born or conceived (54 percent). During 1990-94, 10 percent of black women who had a premaritally conceived birth were married by the time of child's birth compared to 27 percent in the 1930s. For white women, these percentages were 29 percent in the 1930's and 61 percent in years 1990- 94.

Women 15 to 19 Years Old

During 1990-94, about 85 percent of all first births to white women were either premarital or premaritally conceived compared with 25 percent during 1930-34. About 15 percent of all first births occurred postmaritally during 1990-94 with 75 percent during 1930-34.

About 98 percent of all first births to black women were premarital or premaritally conceived compared with 48 percent during 1930-34. Less than 2 percent of post maritally conceived first births occurred during 1990-94 compared with 52 percent during 1930-34.

For Hispanic women during 1990-94, about 81 percent of first births were premarital or conceived premaritally and 19 percent of births were conceived postmaritally.