Abstract
This paper examines the relationship between change in childbearing function from a woman's first to second marriage and the degree of similarity between her first and second husbands in age, education, and religion. Using data from the 1982 National Survey of Family Growth, the specific hypothesis tested is: where plans are similar, the second husband tends to resemble the first to a greater extent than where childbearing functions differ. Separate tests relating to age, education, and religion provide only limited support for this hypothesis. However, when the various tests are considered collectively as a system, the weight of the evidence provides general support for the hypotheses. The implications of these findings for understanding trends in marriage are discussed.
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