Qatari couples are more likely to stay married if they have children, according to a 2010 Qatar Statistics Authority study of the previous year’s figures.

Qatar Tribune reports:

According to the report, 57 percent of the total registered divorce cases in 2009 took place among couples who had no children, 16 percent of the divorces were reported among couples with one child, and it was 9 percent for those with two children.

The percentage of marriage break-ups decreases as the number of children born to couples increases: 6 percent of divorces for couples with three kids, 4 percent among those with four children, and only 2 percent for couples with five children.

Why this is the case is unclear, but one possibility stated in the article is that parents who are in unhappy marriages choose to stay together for the sake of their children.

The financial hardships associated with divorce and the relative ease of raising children thanks to the multitude of help available to mothers may also play a role, the article states.