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The Labor Supply Effects of Delayed First Birth

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  • Jane Leber Herr

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Jane Leber Herr, 2015. "The Labor Supply Effects of Delayed First Birth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(5), pages 630-637, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:105:y:2015:i:5:p:630-37
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.p20151119
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Angrist, Joshua D & Evans, William N, 1998. "Children and Their Parents' Labor Supply: Evidence from Exogenous Variation in Family Size," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 88(3), pages 450-477, June.
    2. David Shapiro & Frank L. Mott, 1994. "Long-Term Employment and Earnings of Women in Relation to Employment Behavior Surrounding the First Birth," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 29(2), pages 248-275.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chabé-Ferret, Bastien, 2019. "Adherence to cultural norms and economic incentives: Evidence from fertility timing decisions," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 24-48.
    2. Matthew Wiswall & Basit Zafar, 2016. "Human Capital Investments and Expectations about Career and Family," NBER Working Papers 22543, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Ömer Limanlı, 2015. "Gender Based Wage Gap in Turkey," EY International Congress on Economics II (EYC2015), November 5-6, 2015, Ankara, Turkey 22, Ekonomik Yaklasim Association.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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