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Educational differences in early childbearing

Author

Listed:
  • James Raymo

    (Princeton University)

  • Marcia Carlson

    (University of Wisconsin–Madison)

  • Alicia VanOrman

    (University of Wisconsin–Madison)

  • Sojung Lim

    (Utah State University)

  • Brienna Perelli-Harris

    (University of Southampton)

  • Miho Iwasawa

    (National Institute of Population and Social Security Research)

Abstract

Background: Recent research on fertility in industrialized countries focuses primarily on delayed childbearing, despite the facts that large numbers of women continue to enter parenthood at relatively young ages and that early childbearing has been linked to economic disadvantage. Objective: This cross-national comparative study describes relationships between women's educational attainment and young age at first birth and evaluates the extent to which these differences have changed over time for women born 1955-1981. Methods: Defining 'early' childbearing as the age by which 20% of first births have occurred to women in a given birth cohort and country, we describe differences in early childbearing by educational attainment across three cohorts of women in 20 countries. Results: We find a strong negative educational gradient in early childbearing across all 20 countries and some evidence of an increase in the relative prevalence of early childbearing among the least-educated women. In 10 countries, the relative prevalence of early childbearing among women with low education is significantly higher for one or both of the more recent birth cohorts compared to the earliest cohort. However, many countries show no significant change, and in one country (Poland) there is modest evidence of a decreasing educational gap. Conclusions: Evidence that educational differences in early childbearing have grown in some countries is generally consistent with the notion of family bifurcation and 'diverging destinies' by socioeconomic status. However, the pattern is not universal and future work should examine the various factors that shape these patterns, including the role of public policies.

Suggested Citation

  • James Raymo & Marcia Carlson & Alicia VanOrman & Sojung Lim & Brienna Perelli-Harris & Miho Iwasawa, 2015. "Educational differences in early childbearing," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 33(3), pages 65-92.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:33:y:2015:i:3
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2015.33.3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Juho H rk nen, 2017. "Single-mother poverty: how much do educational differences in single motherhood matter?," LIS Working papers 714, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    3. Joanne S. Muller & Nicole Hiekel & Aart C. Liefbroer, 2020. "The Long-Term Costs of Family Trajectories: Women’s Later-Life Employment and Earnings Across Europe," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(3), pages 1007-1034, June.
    4. Petra Rattay & Elena von der Lippe, 2020. "Association between Living with Children and the Health and Health Behavior of Women and Men. Are There Differences by Age? Results of the “German Health Update” (GEDA) Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-19, May.
    5. Martin Piotrowski & Erik Bond & Ann Beutel, 2020. "Marriage counterfactuals in Japan: Variation by gender, marital status, and time," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 43(37), pages 1081-1118.
    6. Juho H rk nen, 2017. "Diverging destinies in international perspective: Education, single motherhood, and child poverty," LIS Working papers 713, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    7. Júlia Mikolai & Ann Berrington & Brienna Perelli-Harris, 2018. "The role of education in the intersection of partnership transitions and motherhood in Europe and the United States," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 39(27), pages 753-794.
    8. Barclay, Kieron & Keenan, Katherine & Grundy, Emily & Kolk, Martin & Myrskylä, Mikko, 2016. "Reproductive history and post-reproductive mortality: A sibling comparison analysis using Swedish register data," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 82-92.
    9. Alexander Thompson, 2020. "Emerging Powers and Differentiation in Global Climate Institutions," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 11(S3), pages 61-72, October.
    10. Barclay, Kieron & Keenan, Katherine & Grundy, Emily & Kolk, Martin & Myrskylä, Mikko, 2016. "Reproductive history and post-reproductive mortality: a sibling comparison analysis using Swedish register data," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 65602, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    11. Jianlin Niu & Yaqiang Qi, 2020. "The educational differential in fertility in transitional China: Temporal and regional variation," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 42(22), pages 657-688.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    fertility; education; early childbearing; cross-national research;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

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

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