The Chilean People 53learning her age was “And you’ve never been married?”
They found it easier to believe that she had been married
and divorced than to believe she had never married.
Although a small number of liberal Chileans are beginning
to live together before marriage, this is still relatively
uncommon. The rate of divorced and separated couples,
however, is astounding. More and more, you hear significant
others being introduce as my pareja (my mate) instead of
esposo/esposa (spouse).
Starting a Family
Chileans tend to have children relatively soon after marriage.
Since the family is the most important social unit, few couples
opt not to have children. It might seem surprising then that
Chile has a very low birthrate compared to other developing
countries. Most middle-class families have only two or three
children. Wealthier and poorer families tend to be bigger.
Abortion is illegal in Chile due to the strong influence
of the Roman Catholic Church. However, Chile has one of
the highest abortion rates in Latin America. In spite of the
availability of contraceptives, abortion is used as a form of
birth control. The birth control pill is sold over the counter at
pharmacies without a prescription. While the pill is relatively
inexpensive, the cost is still prohibitive for lower income
sectors. Condoms are sold only in drug stores and the variety
is very limited. The morning-after pill is now available in
Chile, but its approval by health authorities created a huge
legal and ethical debate.
Single Mothers and Illegitimacy
Given the fact that birth control is more readily and easily
accessible to those with money, it is not surprising that this
group experiences fewer unwanted pregnancies. Yet, teen
pregnancy remains a problem in Chile, with about 15 per
cent of all babies being born to teenage mothers. When the
numbers are broken down according to income, 22 per cent
of babies born in poor areas are born to teens and only about
1 per cent of babies in wealthy neighbourhoods are born
to teenage girls.