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Can Theory Explain the Evidence on Fertility Decline Reversal?

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  • Creina Day

Abstract

type="main" xml:lang="en"> This article presents a model of household fertility and child-rearing choice in which rising female relative wages is the mechanism whereby economic growth may reverse fertility decline. I find that an increase in the logarithm, rather than the level, of wages affects fertility at advanced stages of development. Economic growth may reverse fertility decline beyond a threshold logarithm per capita output, which depends on child-care prices, maternity pay, preference for children and growth in female wages relative to male wages. These results inform the recent empirical debate and identify cross-country differences as important considerations for future empirical research.

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  • Creina Day, 2016. "Can Theory Explain the Evidence on Fertility Decline Reversal?," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 49(2), pages 136-145, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ausecr:v:49:y:2016:i:2:p:136-145
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    Cited by:

    1. Georgios Mavropoulos & Theodore Panagiotidis, 2021. "On the drivers of the fertility rebound," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 54(3), pages 821-845, August.

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