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Double Trouble: The Burden of Child-rearing and Working on Maternal Mortality

Author

Listed:
  • Tabea Bucher-Koenen

    (University of Mannheim and MEA)

  • Helmut Farbmacher

    (Max Planck Society)

  • Raphael Guber

    (Max Planck Society)

  • Johan Vikström

    (Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy (IFAU))

Abstract

We document increased old-age mortality rates among Swedish mothers of twins compared with mothers of singletons, using administrative data on mortality for 1990–2010. We argue that twins are an unplanned shock to fertility in the cohorts of older women considered. Deaths due to lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and heart attacks—all of which are associated with stress during the life course—are significantly increased. Stratifying the sample by education and pension income shows the highest increase in mortality rates among highly educated mothers and those with above-median pension income. These results are consistent with the existence of a double burden on mothers’ health resulting from simultaneously child-rearing and working.

Suggested Citation

  • Tabea Bucher-Koenen & Helmut Farbmacher & Raphael Guber & Johan Vikström, 2020. "Double Trouble: The Burden of Child-rearing and Working on Maternal Mortality," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(2), pages 559-576, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:demogr:v:57:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s13524-020-00868-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s13524-020-00868-6
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    Cited by:

    1. XIE Mingjia & YIN Ting & ZHANG Yi & OSHIO Takashi, 2022. "The Hidden Cost of Having More Children: The Impact of Fertility on the Elderly's Healthcare Utilization," Discussion papers 22033, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    2. Gerrit Bauer & Martina Brandt & Thorsten Kneip, 2023. "The Role of Parenthood for Life Satisfaction of Older Women and Men in Europe," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 275-307, January.
    3. Yan Xiong & Guojin Jiao & Jiaming Zheng & Jian Gao & Yaqing Xue & Buwei Tian & Jingmin Cheng, 2022. "Fertility Intention and Influencing Factors for Having a Second Child among Floating Women of Childbearing Age," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Beatrice Baaba Tawiah, 2023. "The Effect of Children on Health," Working Papers Dissertations 103, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
    5. Öberg, Stefan, 2018. "Instrumental variables based on twin births are by definition not valid (v.3.0)," SocArXiv zux9s, Center for Open Science.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Mortality; Maternal health; Fertility; Twins;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General

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