Sarah Hayford

Sarah Hayford is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at The Ohio State University and Director of the Institute for Population Research. She specializes in family formation, reproductive health, and demographic transitions in the U.S. and sub-Saharan Africa. Her work examines how social structures influence individuals' ability to achieve their family-related goals.

Hayford holds a PhD and MA in Demography from the University of Pennsylvania, and a BA in Math & French from Amherst College. Her research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and OSU seed grants, focusing on topics like fertility intentions, abortion access in Ohio, and adolescent-parent relationships in Mozambique.

Her research interests span reproductive health policy, gender disparities, and the intersection of migration and family dynamics. Recent work analyzes trends in U.S. childbearing desires and the impact of men’s labor migration on women’s autonomy in Mozambique.

Hayford’s articles explore themes such as unintended fertility, contraceptive use validation, and the decoupling of marriage and parenthood. Her projects combine quantitative analysis with qualitative methods to understand complex social phenomena.

As a leader in population studies, she advises students and collaborates with interdisciplinary teams. She currently directs OSU’s Institute for Population Research, fostering research on family and health behaviors.