Many US Women Opting for Cohabitation Rather Than Marriage

The average period of cohabitation was 22 months with the union turning into marriage in 40 percent of the cases. The researchers also found that around 19 percent of the women gave birth to children during their first year of premarital cohabitation.

"Instead of marriage, people are moving into cohabitation as a first union. It's kind of a ubiquitous phenomenon now. Cohabitation is a common part of family formation in the United States, and serves both as a step toward marriage and as an alternative to marriage", the report said.

Source: Medindia