Legalization of consensual unions in Mexico

Abstract

There is ample evidence that there are important behavioral differences in Latin America between couples living in consensual unions and those who are legally married. In this paper, we examine the frequency of and variations in legalization of consensual unions in Mexico, using data from the 1976–77 Encuesta Mexicana de Fecundidad. Our results indicate that the frequency of legalization of consensual unions appears to have risen among recent cohorts. Women in first unions, those who start a union at older ages, and those who are more highly educated are also more likely to marry their partners. Our results also indicate that pregnancy does not appear to be a major factor precipitating legalization, and that whether a couple lived together before marriage has no effect on the stability of the marriage.