Economic and cultural factors influencing fertility preferences

Based on the findings of previous empirical research, we can assume that differences between sectors and jobs in terms of security and flexibility of female employment might be important for fertility decisions. This relationship may arise because job characteristics influence the childbearing decision-making process directly or because women sort themselves into jobs based on their childbearing preferences. We aim to assess whether a relationship between job characteristics and fertility exists in Russia, a low fertility context, which can result from both directions of causality. We study the transition from childlessness to the first birth as well the transition to a second birth; the decline in second childbirths can account for a major part of the fertility decline in Russia, but postponement of childbearing can reduce the probability of subsequent births later as well. Our main research questions are the following: (1) To what extent do the intentions to and behavior of having a 1st and 2nd child correlate with women’s job characteristics? (2) Which job characteristics are more related to fertility intentions –flexibility, less working hours or job security after childbirth? Preliminary findings reveal that job characteristics and sectors are more related to the timing of the first birth than to having a second birth.

Relationship between fertility and female employment has been widely recognized in demographic literature. Also, the impact of atypical working hours, i.e. work involving long and overtime work hours and working at weekends, on work-family conflict has been the subject of several studies. However, research linking such working conditions to fertility behaviour remains scarce. The aim of this study is to explore whether atypical working hours affects women’s childbearing behaviour. The research focus is on fertility intentions within the next three years, which are assumed to be a valid predictor of subsequent reproductive behaviour. Data are used from the fifth round of the European Social Survey. Sample is restricted to women aged 18 to 45 living with a partner/husband. Control variables include age, number of children living in the household and years of full-time education. Preliminary results show a statistically significant impact of atypical working hours on childbearing intentions indicating that women who work evenings/nights and during weekends are more likely not to intend a(nother) child within the given time period. Furthermore, institutional and national specific factors such as childcare provision and parental leave may influence the ability to combine family with professional life.

Numerous studies have examined the sources, consequences, and manifestation of son preference in fertility behavior. A large proportion of these studies have focused on low fertility settings in East Asia, and especially in the skewed sex ratios of birth resulting from the practice of sex selective abortion. This paper examines the impact of son preference on individual fertility behavior in a high fertility setting, the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).Many studies have noted the persistently high fertility rates in the oPt and have connected it to conflict. However, some anecdotal evidence exists for the impact of son preference on fertility behavior, where women are more likely to continue having children until they’ve reached the desired number of sons. This paper aims to examine the role son preference and sex distribution of current children play in fertility behavior in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), both in terms of timing of fertility and progression to subsequent parity levels using data from birth history calendars from a national health survey conducted in 2006. Parity-specific event history analysis was conducted. The results of this study show that after accounting for socio-demographic characteristics, women with a greater number of sons are less likely to have another child, irrespective of parity.

Establishing a link between fertility prospects and aggregate fertility is a widespread concern, with most of the literature dating from the 1970s-80s. Long time-series on fertility preferences are however scarce, and first attempts are made here of looking at the correlation between cohort aggregate preferences and actual cohort completed fertility on a series of definitions of fertility prospects (intended number of children, ideal and societal ideal family size). We use a set of French surveys: past surveys on demographic situation (Ined), more recent surveys on family (Ined/Insee/Inserm), and a yearly time-series of ideal family size (CREDOC). Mean “societal” ideals are found the closest to completed cohort fertility in terms of level. We use the only consistent time-series on ideals (CREDOC) in order to model the link more precisely. In terms of trends, it appears that completed fertility and ideal family size are quite linked together, while ideals do not predict accurately period total fertility rate.