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The impact of childbirth on Spanish women’s decisions to leave the labor market

Author

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  • Ainhoa Herrarte
  • Julián Moral-Carcedo
  • Felipe Sáez

Abstract

The present paper analyzes the effect of childbirth on Spanish women’s decisions to withdraw from paid work, defined here as the transition from employment to out of the labor force due to the requirements of household production. Decisions regarding fertility and labor market participation are interrelated and depend on individual and household characteristics, as well as external variables such as the availability of childcare services. We postulate that a female’s decision to leave the labor market is taken in a household context, and thus is the outcome which maximizes household welfare after taking into account the employment and earnings characteristics of all household members. We pay special attention to the effect of the male partner’s characteristics upon the female’s decision to withdraw from the labor market. Our empirical results show that in order to better define social and labor market policies on work and family reconciliation, increased attention should be paid to the job characteristics of males given their effect on the optimal assignment of tasks within the household following childbirth. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012

Suggested Citation

  • Ainhoa Herrarte & Julián Moral-Carcedo & Felipe Sáez, 2012. "The impact of childbirth on Spanish women’s decisions to leave the labor market," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 10(3), pages 441-468, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:reveho:v:10:y:2012:i:3:p:441-468
    DOI: 10.1007/s11150-012-9151-z
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    Cited by:

    1. María Davia & Nuria Legazpe, 2015. "Educational attainment and maternity in Spain: not only “when” but also “how”," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 13(4), pages 871-900, December.
    2. Lorenzo Escot & José Fernández-Cornejo & Carlos Poza, 2014. "Fathers’ Use of Childbirth Leave in Spain. The Effects of the 13-Day Paternity Leave," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 33(3), pages 419-453, June.
    3. Tibor Paul Hanappi & Sandra Müllbacher, 2016. "Tax incentives and family labor supply in Austria," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 961-987, December.
    4. Machů, Vendula & Veldman, Karin & Arends, Iris & Bültmann, Ute, 2022. "Work-family trajectories in young adulthood: Associations with mental health problems in adolescence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    5. Chloé Duvivier & Mathieu Narcy, 2015. "The Motherhood Wage Penalty and Its Determinants: A Public–Private Comparison," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 29(4), pages 415-443, December.
    6. Pınar Mine Güneş, 2016. "The effects of teenage childbearing on long-term health in the US: a twin-fixed-effects approach," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 891-920, December.
    7. Mayssun El-Attar, 2013. "Trust, child care technology choice and female labor force participation," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 507-544, December.
    8. María Davia & Nuria Legazpe, 2014. "Determinants of Employment Decisions After the First Child Birth in Spain," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 214-227, June.
    9. Barbieri, Teresa & Bavaro, Michele & Cirillo, Valeria, 2024. "Trapped in the care burden: occupational downward mobility of Italian couples after childbirth," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1475, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    10. Fazeer Rahim, 2014. "Work-family attitudes and career interruptions due to childbirth," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 177-205, March.
    11. María Suárez, 2013. "Working mothers’ decisions on childcare: the case of Spain," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 11(4), pages 545-561, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labor market withdrawal; Employment transitions; Maternity decisions; Work and family reconciliation; Labor market policy; Childcare services; J22; J08; D13;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J08 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics Policies
    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation

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