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How do welfare states support reproductive equity? A comparative analysis across countries and over time

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  • Zagel, Hannah

    (WZB Berlin Social Science Center)

  • Tamakoshi, Mio

Abstract

This paper investigates how welfare states address stratification of reproduction. Whether, when and how people have children is historically an area of intense state intervention and remains so today. Building on comparative welfare state research and inspired by research on stratified reproduction, we examine regulatory provisions towards abortion, contraception and medically assisted reproduction, empirically mapping the institutional landscape for 30 countries between 1995 and 2020. We propose a conceptual framework of ‘reproductive equity support’, defined as the sum of statutory permitted and resourced reproductive options, which varies across four ideal types: conservative, paternalistic, libertarian and comprehensive. Second, we operationalize permissiveness and generosity for contraception, abortion and medically assisted reproduction using policy indicators from the novel International Reproduction Policy Database. We find strong variation between countries, and substantive shifts over time: while most countries make a leap towards more permissive reproduction policy, increase in generosity is less pronounced and less wide-spread.

Suggested Citation

  • Zagel, Hannah & Tamakoshi, Mio, 2025. "How do welfare states support reproductive equity? A comparative analysis across countries and over time," SocArXiv 9ypz3_v1, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:9ypz3_v1
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/9ypz3_v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Francesca Fiori & Francesca Rinesi & Elspeth Graham, 2017. "Choosing to Remain Childless? A Comparative Study of Fertility Intentions Among Women and Men in Italy and Britain," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 33(3), pages 319-350, July.
    2. Jalovaara, Marika & Fasang, Anette Eva, 2017. "From never partnered to serial cohabitors: union trajectories to childlessness," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 36, pages 1703-1720.
    3. Marika Jalovaara & Anette Fasang, 2017. "From never partnered to serial cohabitors: Union trajectories to childlessness," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 36(55), pages 1703-1720.
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