Full Citation
Title: Hard Times and Falling Fertility in the United States
Citation Type: Miscellaneous
Publication Year: 2021
ISBN:
ISSN:
DOI: 10.31235/osf.io/pjf3n
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Abstract: Recent reports have suggested that falling fertility in the US since the 2008 recession is being driven by women with advantaged status in the labor market taking advantage of career opportunities. This paper takes issue with that conclusion. Although high incomes are associated with lower fertility in general, both in the cross section and over time (within and between countries), economic crises also lead to lower fertility. I offer a new descriptive analysis using data from the American Community Survey for 2000-2019. In the U.S. case, the fertility decline was widespread after the 2008 recession, but most concentrated among younger women. Although women with above average education have long had lower birth rates, the analysis shows that birth rates fell most for women in states with higher than average unemployment rates, especially among those with below average education. This is consistent with evidence that birth rates are falling, and births delayed, by economic insecurity and hardship.
Url: https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/hard-times-and-falling-fertility-in-the-united-states/
Url: https://osf.io/preprints/socarxiv/pjf3n/
User Submitted?: No
Authors: Cohen, Philip N.
Publisher:
Data Collections: IPUMS USA
Topics: Fertility and Mortality, Reproductive and Sexual Health
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