The Labor Supply Effects of Delayed First Birth
American Economic Review
vol. 105,
no. 5, May 2015
(pp. 630-37)
Abstract
In this paper I compare the relationship between first-birth timing and post-birth labor supply for high school and college graduate mothers. Given that pre-birth wages are increasing in fertility delay, the rising opportunity cost of time would suggest that among both groups, later mothers work more. Yet I only find this pattern for high school graduates. For college graduates, I instead find that there is a strong U-shaped pattern between hours worked within motherhood, and the career timing of first birth.Citation
Herr, Jane Leber. 2015. "The Labor Supply Effects of Delayed First Birth." American Economic Review, 105 (5): 630-37. DOI: 10.1257/aer.p20151119Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
- J22 Time Allocation and Labor Supply