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Discussion Paper Details

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Title: Education and Fertility: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Author(s): Karin Monstad, Carol Propper and Kjell G Salvanes

Publication Date: May 2008

Keyword(s): causal effect, education and female fertility

Programme Area(s): Public Economics

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.

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Bibliographic Reference

Monstad, K, Propper, C and Salvanes, K. 2008. 'Education and Fertility: Evidence from a Natural Experiment'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=6816