When Is the Best Time to Give Birth?

Sylvia Frühwirth-Schnatter (), Christoph Pamminger, Andrea Weber and Rudolf Winter-Ebmer
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Sylvia Frühwirth-Schnatter: Vienna University of Economics and Business
Christoph Pamminger: University of Linz

No 8396, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Using Bayesian Markov chain clustering analysis we investigate career paths of Austrian women after their first birth. This data-driven method allows characterizing long-term career paths of mothers over up to 19 years by transitions between parental leave, non-employment and different forms of employment. We, thus, classify women into five cluster-groups with very different long-run career costs of childbearing. We model group membership with a multinomial specification within the finite mixture model. This approach gives insights into the determinants of the long-run family gap. Giving birth late in life may lead very diverse outcomes: on the one hand, it increases the odds to drop out of labor force, and on the other hand, it increases the odds to reach a high-wage career track.

Keywords: family gap; Transition Data; Markov Chain Monte Carlo; timing of birth; Multinomial Logit; fertility; Panel Data (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 29 pages
Date: 2014-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dcm and nep-evo
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Forthcoming - published in: Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A, 179(3), 707-725, 2016.

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Related works:
Working Paper: When Is The Best Time To Give Birth? (2014)
Working Paper: When Is The Best Time To Give Birth? (2014)
Working Paper: When Is The Best Time To Give Birth? (2014)
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