Projects
Fertility intentions and outcomes in female and male breadwinning families
Project contributors: Berrington A, Sayli M,
This Project is part of the following research programme/s:
Overview
The literature on the gender revolution theorises that the rising share of female breadwinner families is driven by gender-egalitarian attitudes and will be linked to increased fertility. However, results from Vitali's ESRC Future Leaders Project suggest that the main driver behind the rise of female breadwinners is male unemployment and that female-breadwinner families are considerably more likely to experience economic uncertainty compared to any other couple type. This project aims to shed new light on the relationship between couple's earning arrangements and fertility decisions, examining how different combinations of earners and their local socio-economic context are associated with entry into parenthood and subsequent childbearing, using longitudinal data from the UKHLS. Unpicking this complex relationship will have important implications for understanding the future patterns of fertility across Europe in the context of economic recession and new family forms.
Media
The family in 2050: artificial wombs, robot carers and the rise of single fathers by choice The Guardian. 2019
Ann Berrington quoted in The Guardian about the future of the family.