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Second births in western Germany and France

Author

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  • Katja Köppen

    (Universität Rostock)

Abstract

We compare second birth risks in France and western Germany using data from the Family and Fertility Survey. Second birth risks are higher for highly educated women than for women with lower education in both countries. In western Germany, the positive effect weakens after controlling for the education level of the partner. The positive effect of French women’s education remains unchanged, even after controlling for the partners’ characteristics. We interpret this finding in the sense that work and family life are more compatible in France, where highly educated women can turn their education more often into work opportunities and income. West German women often have to make a decision between an employment career and motherhood as two exclusive life options. In such a situation, it is primarily the partners’ earning potential that influences fertility.

Suggested Citation

  • Katja Köppen, 2006. "Second births in western Germany and France," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 14(14), pages 295-330.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:14:y:2006:i:14
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2006.14.14
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Cornelia Mureşan, 2007. "Educational attainment and second births in Romania," MPIDR Working Papers WP-2007-028, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany.
    2. Maria Rita Testa, 2017. "Will highly educated women have more children in the future? Looking at reproductive plans and outcomes," Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, Vienna Institute of Demography (VID) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, vol. 15(1), pages 033-40.
    3. Mette Gerster & Niels Keiding, 2008. "Biological and sociological interpretations of age-adjustment in studies of higher order birth rates," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 19(31), pages 1205-1216.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    fertility; education; event history analysis; France; Germany; second births; West Germany; comparative analysis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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