Projects
Household Income, Gender Role Attitudes and Fertility Intentions in Australia.
Work plays a crucial role in couples’ fertility decisions, yet the influence of each partner’s absolute and relative income on family planning remains underexplored. This study investigates how these income dynamics, mediated by gender role attitudes, shape agreement or disagreement on short-term fertility intentions in Australia, a context characterized by high childcare costs and limited welfare support.
Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey (2005–2019) on women (ages 18–47) and their male partners, this study addresses the question: How do absolute and relative income influence short-term fertility intentions, and how are these effects mediated by gender role attitudes?
Findings reveal that income similarity between partners fosters alignment in fertility intentions, while having a sole female or male breadwinner decreases the likelihood of both partners agreeing to have a first or second child. Gender role attitudes play a more significant role in shaping fertility decisions at lower parities, whereas household income becomes increasingly influential as couples progress to subsequent children.
Sample-Table:
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What to expect when it’s unexpected? Unplanned parenthood and precarious career trajectories in Germany.
Research suggests motherhood’s impact on women’s careers varies by parity and timing as earlier first births and career interruptions impose greater career penalties. Existing studies have primarily focused on isolated outcomes, such as wages, neglecting broader consequences on overall career trajectories. Moreover, there is a research gap regarding the role of fertility intentions and of planning parenthood in mitigating adverse effects.
This study introduces a novel approach to analyse career trajectories after parenthood, comparing individuals who planned for parenthood with those who did not. Those who did not plan for parenthood often face simultaneous challenges, such as negotiating work-family reconciliation, childcare, and housing situations. Additionally, unplanned parenthood may be linked to unfavorable career timing. I investigate whether unplanned parenthood functions as an economic shock, associated with more episodes of precarious employment statuses, including unemployment, marginal employment, and (prolonged) parental leave, thereby resulting in diminished lifetime earnings and human capital accumulation.
Using pairfam data and sequence analysis, I consider intentions preceding pregnancy and categorise parenthood status as either planned or unplanned, based on whether individuals expressed a desire for children. I address two questions: First, what factors are associated with (un)planned parenthood? Second, does unplanned parenthood contribute to increased precarity in career trajectories?
Preliminary findings indicate unplanned parenthood in 15.8% of first births, 10.1% of second births, and 45.3% of third births, associated with lower age-at-parenthood and more precarious career trajectories. Gender differences emerge, as unplanned parenthood has minimal impact on men but significant effects on women.
Navigating Uncertainty: Exploring the Impact of the Great Recession on Fertility Intentions.
Existing research has predominantly focused on individual factors influencing fertility intentions, overlooking the role of structural and economic contexts. This study addresses this gap by investigating the impact of the 2007-09 Great Recession on fertility intentions within a cross-country and regional framework.
Specifically, I examine shifts in the intention to become parents within the next three years, taking into account national and regional uncertainties surrounding parenthood during two distinct time frames (2004-06 and 2010-12). The Great Recession acts as an external factor that may have introduced uncertainties in housing, childcare, and career progression, shaping individuals’ choices to either postpone or forgo childbearing.
Using data from the European Social Survey Rounds 2 and 5, the analysis covers 21 European countries on a NUTS-1 regional level. Contextual factors from the EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) and the OECD Family Database construct an index reflecting the prospective uncertainties post-parenthood, incorporating housing situations, childcare availability, unemployment, and in-work poverty. By using a difference-in-difference model (DID) and controlling for individual-level factors, including income, gender, and education, this study asks two questions. First, does the worsening context surrounding parenthood, marked for example by fewer childcare possibilities and increased economic uncertainty, influence individuals’ intentions to become parents? Second, which groups were most affected by rising uncertainties due to the Great Recession in their decision to become parents?
Preliminary findings suggest a decrease in the proportion of individuals intending to have a child within the next three years in regions severely affected by the Great Recession, with a more pronounced effect observed for men than women. The study sheds light on the nuanced interplay between economic uncertainties and fertility intentions, emphasising the need for a comprehensive understanding of contextual influences on family planning decisions.