The problem of children of unmarried parents as an aspect of the demographic analysis of modern families

The article analyses the trends in the birth rate for unmarried women aged 30-40 years, belonging to the social group of intellectuals. The article is based on the secondary analysis of data of the Civil Registry Office of Primorsky Krai. The authors used the methods of indepth interview, that does not reflect the general features, but allows to understand thoroughly the phenomenon of illegitimate children. The three groups of women with different motives for having children out of wedlock are distinguished. Their life strategies identify the desire for independence and extramarital conscious parenting. The research data show that in the current socio-demographic situation there is a strengthening status of unmarried mothers, which is caused by different circumstances in various social groups.