The Wished-For Children: Do Mothers Carry the Burden While Fathers Reap the Joy?

Mathias Huebener () and Reto Odermatt
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Mathias Huebener: Bundesinstitut für Bevölkerungsforschung (BiB)

No 18039, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: We assess the gendered effects of having children on well-being, careers, and the division of domestic work. As exogenous variation in parenthood, we exploit the quasi-random success of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments. Children increase mothers’ well-being only in the short term, while fathers experience longer-lasting gains. However, only mothers show a persistent decline in labor supply and a rise in domestic work. Their satisfaction with the division of work declines, and they are more likely to perceive it as unfair, implying that the new equilibrium in the division of work deviates from mothers’ preferences.

Keywords: IVF treatment; gender inequality; well-being; parenthood; child penalty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I31 J13 J16 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-gen, nep-hea and nep-lab
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