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Objectives: This report shows trends and group differences in current marital status, with a focus on first marriages among women and men aged 15-44 years in the United States. Trends and group differences in the timing and duration of first marriages are also discussed. These data are based on the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). National estimates of probabilities of first marriage by age and probabilities of separation and divorce for women and men's first marriages are presented by a variety of demographic characteristics. Data are compared with similar measures for 1982, 1995, and 2002. Methods: The analyses presented in this report are based on a nationally representative sample of 12,279 women and 10,403 men aged 15-44 years in the household population of the United States. The overall response rate for the 2006-2010 NSFG was 77%-78% for women and 75% for men. Results: The percentage of women who were currently cohabiting (living with a man in a sexual relationship) rose from 3.0% in 1982 to 11% in 2006- 2010; it was higher in some groups, including Hispanic groups, and the less educated. In 2006-2010, women and men married for the first time at older ages than in previous years. The median age at first marriage was 25.8 for women and 28.3 for men. Premarital cohabitation contributed to the delay in first marriage for both women and men.

The National Survey of Family Growth is a periodic survey administered to women between the ages of 15 and 44 years and designed to produce national estimates of statistics on fertility, family planning, and aspects of maternal and child health that are closely related to childbearing. This report describes findings from the 1982 National Survey of Family Growth, the first administration of the survey to include never married women. It presents statistics on contraceptive use at first sexual intercourse, first method of contraception ever used, all methods ever used, and current contraceptive status and method. The statistics are shown for women according to race, age, marital status, and selected socioeconomic characteristics. National estimates of contraceptive use for all women of reproductive age are presented in chronological order. Twelve text figures, 8 text tables, and 16 detailed tables are included. Technical notes, definitions of terms, and selected sections of the questionnaire of the National Survey of Family Growth are appended. (NB)

This report presents findings based on interviews with three nationally representative samples of currently married women between the ages of 15 and 44 years, as documented in 1965 National Fertility Study and the 1973 and 1976 National Surveys of Family Growth. Statistics from these surveys are presented on the contraceptive practice of respondents according to various socioeconomic characteristics. Findings are presented in two sections: use of contraception (contraceptive status) and couples using contraception (contraceptors) according to the method used. Findings are discussed which show that changes in contraceptive status, with use increasing from 63% in 1965 to 68% in 1976, were small compared with the changes in methods used among contraceptors. The background and methodology of the three surveys and trends and differences in the use of contraception are presented. The main body of the text describes trends in use of the pill, intrauterine device, sterilization, and other methods, according to age, race, number of years since first marriage, parity (number of children ever born) and intent to have more children, religion, and education. Within each section, trends and differentials are described. Appendix I contains technical details about the surveys; appendix II provides definitions of terms; and appendix III is a reprint of selected questions on contraceptive use from the 1976 National Survey of Family Growth. (NB)