Hispanic growth tied to fertility rates

By Suzanne Gamboa

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — Hispanic women born in the United States are more likely to have children out of wedlock than women who are immigrant Hispanics or non-Hispanics, according to an analysis released Thursday by Pew Hispanic Center.

Hispanic women, both U.S.-born and immigrants, have higher fertility rates than non-Hispanics — 84 births per 1,000 Hispanic women, compared with 63 per 1,000 non-Hispanic women.

The differences can also be found between Hispanic women born in this country — 73 births per 1,000 women — and immigrant Hispanic women — 96 births per 1,000 women.

Hispanics are now 15.1 percent of the U.S. population, according to census data released last week. Their numbers are growing more because of births than immigration.

One in four children under age 5 in the United States is Hispanic, the Census Bureau said.

Among the more surprising findings in the Pew study was the difference in out-of-wedlock births when comparing Hispanic women born in this country and Hispanic women who are immigrants.

Half of all births to Hispanic women born in this country were to single mothers, according to Pew research. About 35 percent of immigrant Hispanic women who gave birth were unmarried, nearly equal to the rate for non-Hispanic women. The study provided no reasons for the differences in out-of-wedlock rates.

In other words, 1 out of every 8 children under the age of five was born to an unwed Hispanic. -mm