The Profile and Economic Resources of Single Mothers Who Conceived Using Assisted Reproduction
(2026)
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- Abstract
- Background. Single women are increasingly having children via medically assisted reproduction (MAR), yet large-scale evidence on their profiles and economic resources remains limited. Objective. This paper examines the characteristics and pre-birth income of single MAR mothers, distinguishing between single mothers who did not identify a second parent for their child (SNP) and those who did (SWP). Methods. Using Belgian birth records, population registers, and tax declarations, the study analyzes a sample of over 40 thousand mothers who had a first child conceived with the help of MAR. Multinomial logistic regression estimates the relationship between income and the likelihood of becoming a single mother via MAR, relative to being partnered. Results. From 2010-2019, an average of 418 firstborn children each year were delivered by single mothers who used MAR. SNP mothers (5% of the sample) were the oldest among MAR mothers, and personal income was positively associated with belonging to this group. SWP mothers (4% of MAR mothers) formed a more heterogenous group, with both low and very high income increasing the likelihood of being in this category. Conclusions. SNP motherhood appears linked to greater financial resources. SWP motherhood appears to encompass diverse situations, including recent partnership dissolutions with previous resource-sharing, or elective co-parenting arrangements where single women still carried most of the financial responsibility. Contribution. This study provides new insights on the diversity of situations surrounding single motherhood and the resources associated with alternative paths to parenthood.
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Citations
Musni, D. (2026). The Profile and Economic Resources of Single Mothers Who Conceived Using Assisted Reproduction (Démographie et sociétés - document de travail 39). https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/275633