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The third birth in Great Britain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Robert E. Wright ,
John F. Ermisch ,
P. R. Andrew Hinde  and
Heather E. Joshi
Robert E. Wright
Affiliation:
Centre for Population Studies, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
John F. Ermisch
Affiliation:
National Institute of Economic and Social Research, London
P. R. Andrew Hinde
Affiliation:
Centre for Population Studies, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Heather E. Joshi
Affiliation:
Centre for Population Studies, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
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Summary

The relationship between female labour force participation, and other socioeconomic factors, and the probability of having a third birth is examined, using British data collected in the 1980 Women and Employment Survey, by hazard regression modelling with time-varying covariates. The results demonstrate the strong association between demographic factors, e.g. age at first birth and birth interval and subsequent fertility behaviour. Education appears to have little effect. Surprisingly, women who have spent a higher proportion of time as housewives have a lower risk of having a third birth. This finding is in sharp disagreement with the conventional expectation that cumulative labour force participation supports lower fertility. These findings are briefly compared with similar research carried out in Sweden.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 20 , Issue 4 , October 1988 , pp. 489 - 496
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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References

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