The Impact of the First Reproductive Experience Timing on Partnership Stability

Darina Kmentová , Masaryk University

The paper aims to investigate how the timing of the first reproductive experiences and their outcomes influence the stability of the partnership. The study draws on theories of the effects of conception difficulties on relationship quality and stability, as well as personal well-being and quality of life. The analysis is based on survey data from the second wave of the second round of the Czech Generations and Gender Survey, which uniquely captures the circumstances of the first attempt to conceive a child, regardless of the outcome (conception or abandonment of the attempt). The sample is made of 1,728 men and women aged 24–73 who experienced their first attempt to conceive within a co-residential relationship. By conducting a survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards model, the study examines the risk of breakup respondents face based on the outcome of their first reproductive experience. Results suggest that couples who did not conceive or conceived after an extended period of time were more likely to break up than couples who conceived within two years. For example, the risk of a breakup was 3.6times higher among those whose attempts were unsuccessful compared to those who conceived during the first 12 months. The results suggest that analyzing the first reproductive experiences and their outcomes can deepen our understanding of fertility pathways and partnership dynamics by extending the research beyond realized births or diagnosed infertility.

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 Presented in Session P2. Families, Fertility, and the Life Course 2