Fertility and Labor Market Responses to Reductions in Mortality

Sonia Bhalotra, Atheendar Venkataramani and Selma Walther

No 17255, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: We investigate women’s fertility, labor and marriage market responses to large declines in child mortality. We find delayed childbearing, with lower intensive and extensive margin fertility, a decline in the chances of ever having married, increased labor force participation and an improvement in occupational status. This constitutes the first evidence that improvements in child survival allow women to start fertility later and invest more in the labor market. We present a new theory of fertility that incorporates dynamic choices and reconciles our findings with existing models of behavior.

Keywords: Women’s labor force participation; Fertility timing; Childlessness; Child mortality; Medical innovation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I18 J13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022-04
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Related works:
Working Paper: Fertility and Labor Market Responses to Reductions in Mortality (2022)
Working Paper: Fertility and labor market responses to reductions in mortality (2018)
Working Paper: Fertility and Labor Market Responses to Reductions in Mortality (2018)
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