In summer 1993, the Nation had 36 million mothers 15 to 44 years old; 3.8 million of them (10 percent) were receiving AFDC (Aid to  Families with Dependent Children) payments to help with the rearing of 9.7 million children. (An additional 0.5 million women over 45 years old and 0.3 million fathers living with their dependent children also received AFDC.) This Brief examines fertility and socioeconomic characteristics of mothers in their childbearing years (aged 15 to 44) who received AFDC and compares them to mothers of those ages who were not receiving payments. The statistics were collected in the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) between June and September 1993.