Latino Fathers’ Childbearing Intentions: The View from Mother-Proxy vs. Father-Self Reports

Lina Guzman, Child Trends
Jennifer Manlove, Child Trends
Kerry Franzetta, Child Trends

Using data from the ECSL-B, this paper will explore Latino fathers’ childbearing intentions and how the picture differs when male vs. female reports are considered. We also explore factors associated with Latino couple agreement/disagreement about fathers’ childbearing intentions, and how these agreement/disagreements may be associated with prenatal behaviors and relationship expectations. Data collected through semi-structured qualitative interviews with Latino couples who have recently become parents will further shed light on the process that shapes Latino males’ childbearing intentions, their partners’ perceptions of their intentions, how intentions are communicated, and more generally the decision making process that characterizes the transition to parenthood. Preliminary data indicates that the picture that emerges of Latino’s father childbearing intentions is dependent on the source of the report. Mother reports of childbearing intentions suggest that two-thirds of Latino fathers wanted the pregnancy, whereas father self-reports suggest that the proportion is closer to one-half.