Numerous children are born to unwed mothers every year. In fact, 40.6 percent of babies are born to parents who aren't married. The question is, how many of these instances involve fathers who voluntarily come forward to claim paternity? And, in what situations is a man most likely to say that he's the parent?
According to a recently-published study by the University of Oklahoma, several factors increase the likelihood of a man saying that he's the father. These are:
-- If the mother has a higher socioeconomic status;
-- If the baby is male;
-- If the mother is not a teenager;
-- If the mother has health insurance;
-- If the mother is college-educated;
-- If the mother is healthy; and
-- If the mother has experienced a healthy pregnancy.
These statistics expose the darkest elements of paternity, child-rearing and childbirth. However, if you're the mother of a child born out of wedlock, and you're trying to get the father of the child to come forward and contribute, you may already know this harsh reality all too well.
The fact is, when a father participates in his or her child's upbringing, the mother of the child is more likely to take care of the child and herself in a healthier way, and she's even more likely to breastfeed the baby, according to statistics. Mothers have a tendency of giving more and better attention to their children when the father is also invested in the rearing of the child.
If you're struggling to get the father of your child involved, and you're trying to establish paternity of your child, you can seek help from a Houston-area family law attorney. A lawyer can ensure that paternity is established in your case, and also help you seek child support payments from the father.
Source: Counsel and Heal, "Stepping Up To The Plate? When Do Unmarried Men Claim Paternity Of A Child?," Minnow Blythe, accessed March 13, 2017
