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Fertility and labor market responses to reductions in mortality

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  • Bhalotra, Sonia
  • Venkataramani, Atheendar
  • Walther, Selma

Abstract

We investigate womenÂ’s fertility, labor, and marriage market responses to large declines in child mortality in the U.S. Fertility declined on the intensive margin as expected. However, despite the increasing value of having at least one child, a larger share of women remained childless. We explain these fiÂ…ndings with a new theory of fertility that includes fertility timing and labor force participation as choices. Consistent with the modelÂ’s predictions, we fiÂ…nd that reductions in child mortality led women to delay childbearing, increase their labor force participation, improve their occupational status, and to be less likely to have ever married.

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  • Bhalotra, Sonia & Venkataramani, Atheendar & Walther, Selma, 2018. "Fertility and labor market responses to reductions in mortality," ISER Working Paper Series 2018-15, Institute for Social and Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:ese:iserwp:2018-15
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    Cited by:

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    4. Bhalotra, Sonia & Clarke, Damian & Walther, Selma, 2022. "Women's Careers and Family Formation," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1120, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    5. Ager, Philipp & Hansen, Casper Worm & Lin, Peter Z., 2023. "Medical Technology and Life Expectancy: Evidence from the Antitoxin Treatment of Diphtheria," CEPR Discussion Papers 18350, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Nandi, Arindam & Summan, Amit & Ngô, D. Thoai & Bloom, David E., 2022. "Childhood Vaccinations and Demographic Transition: Long-Term Evidence from India," IZA Discussion Papers 15508, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Yew Seng Law & Chung-Khain Wye, 2023. "The effects of fertility on female labour force participation in OECD countries: the role of education and health," Studies in Economics and Econometrics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(3), pages 280-302, July.

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    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health

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