The Economics of Childbearing: Trends, Progress, and Challenges

Martha Bailey

Annual Review of Economics, 2025, vol. 17, issue 1, 695-720

Abstract: The neoclassical economics of childbearing turns 65 this year, marking the anniversary of Gary Becker's foundational article on the subject in 1960. This review article begins with a study of how childbearing has evolved in the United States over the last century, identifying distinctive features of the post-1960 era associated with the second demographic transition. Next, the article discusses standard neoclassical models of childbearing and shows how augmenting them with a supply side, including access to and information about contraception and abortion, increases their explanatory power. After reviewing recent quasi-experimental research testing this augmented model, the final part of the article reflects upon the implications of the recent transformation in US fertility rates for women and children and suggests fruitful avenues for future research.

Keywords: contraception; childbearing; human capital; fertility; reproductive health; abortion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-economics-092024-021806
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Working Paper: Economics of Childbearing: Trends, Progress, and Challenges (2025)
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DOI: 10.1146/annurev-economics-092024-021806

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