Impact of Illegitimate Births Stirs Spirited Debate

By Deborah L. Cohen

Using the term "illegitimate" to describe the offspring of unwed parents today may seem not only unduly harsh, but also somewhat anachronistic.

Social and economic trends of recent decades have largely wiped away the stigma once associated with the term, which literally means illegal or against the law.

But a growing chorus of social scientists, public officials, and child advocates agree that children born out of wedlock are paying a price--and the stakes for society...