Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

Working Papers in Economics,
University of Bergen, Department of Economics

No 05/08: Education and Fertility: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Karin Monstad (), Carol Propper () and Kjell Gunnar Salvanes ()
Additional contact information
Karin Monstad: Rokkan Centre, Postal: Nygårdsgt. 5, N-5015 Bergen, Norway
Carol Propper: Department of Economics, Bristol University, Imperial College and CEPR, Postal: Social Sciences Complex, 8 Woodland Road, Clifton,, Bristol, BS8 1TN, United Kingdom, ,
Kjell Gunnar Salvanes: Norwegian School of Economics, Postal: Helleveien 30, N-5045 Bergen, Norway

Abstract: In many developed countries a decline in fertility has occurred. This development has been attributed to greater education of women. However, establishing a causal link is difficult as both fertility and education have changed secularly. The contribution of this paper is to study the connection between fertility and education over a woman’s fertile period focusing on whether the relationship is causal. We study fertility in Norway and use an educational reform as an instrument to correct for selection into education. Our results indicate that increasing education leads to postponement of first births away from teenage motherhood towards having the first birth in their twenties and, for a smaller group, up to the age of 35-40. We do not find, however, evidence that total fertility falls as a result of greater education.

Keywords: Analysis of Education; Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth; Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

JEL-codes: I21; J13; J24

31 pages, March 23, 2008

Full text files

wp05-08.pdf PDF-file Full text

Download statistics

Questions (including download problems) about the papers in this series should be directed to Kjell Erik Lommerud ()
Report other problems with accessing this service to Sune Karlsson ().

This page generated on 2024-02-05 17:10:55.