Özet:

 Introduction. The article presents an analysis of the transformation in attitudes towards marriage and re- productive behaviour of young people in connection with the legalization of abortion and dramatic increase in the availability of contraception in the last decades. The aim of current study is to analyze the socio-psychological problems of out of wedlock births on the ground of family planning services and human rights benefits for the young people. Methods. The study examined statistics on marriages, consensual unions and births in Bulgaria and the European Union during the last decades, as well as the socio-psychological problems of out of wedlock births. The study also covers 108 unmarried mothers in the maternity hospitals in Sofia, Bulgaria, during 2015. Results. The results of research show that consensual unions are preferential choice. Most of the people living in cohabiting unions without marriage are aged 16-39 years. Couples without legal marriage break up more often than those with an official nuptial agree- ment. Conclusion. The analysis of health risks reveals a general conclusion that there is a need to make better the medical care for the unmarried pregnant women and to invest in responsible reproductive behaviour of the young people through effective family planning. Keywords: out-of-wedlock births, sexual revolution, cohabiting couples, reproductive behaviour, family planning.

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