And baby makes two: Series overview

Did you realize that nearly half the babies born in East Central Illinois are to single women?

We asked the three largest hospitals in the area to keep track of their births in March, for instance, and found that 47 percent of the women who gave birth in Champaign and Vermilion counties were unmarried. Most were white, aged 15 to 39. Public aid paid for most of the births to unwed moms.

Also on this date

• More moms are unmarried -- and for many, it's a choice
• Being single and a mom: One woman's story
• Black mothers more likely to be unmarried
• Feeling the Pinch: Volunteers trade time for free entertainment
• Hospice volunteers offer comfort in a time of great need
• Student groups pushing to get voters registered by deadline
• Obituaries