National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG)

Robert M. Groves, William Axinn, Lynette Hoelter

The National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG), sponsored by the National Center for Health Statistics, United States Department of Health and Human Services, is a multipurpose survey based on personal interviews with a national sample of women (all cycles) and men (beginning with Cycle VI) 15-44 years of age in the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States. The Survey's main function is to collect data on factors affecting pregnancy and women's health in the United States. NSFG surveys were conducted in 1973 (Cycle I), 1976 (Cycle II), 1982 (Cycle III), 1988 and 1990 (Cycle IV), and 1995 (Cycle V) and 2002 (Cycle VI). The NSFG supplements and complements the data from the National Vital Statistics System on births, marriage and divorce, fetal death, and infant mortality. It is also a significant part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's public health surveillance for women, infants, and children -- particularly in regard to contraception, infertility, childbearing, and teenage pregnancy. Topics covered in the series include the number of children women have had and the number they expect to have in the future, intended and unintended births, first sexual intercourse and partners, marriage, cohabitation, impaired fecundity, sterilization operations, breastfeeding, maternity leave, child care, adoption, stepchildren, foster children, health insurance coverage, family planning, and health conditions and behavior, including smoking by women 15-44 years of age, HIV testing, pelvic inflammatory disease, and sex education. Beginning with Cycle VI corresponding issues for men were investigated.

Further information: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nsfg.htm

PSC Research Themes:

Marriage, Divorce, Cohabitation (Family Formation, Fertility, and Children)
Fertility, Contraception, Sexual Behavior (Family Formation, Fertility, and Children)


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