Influences on the timing of first childbearing

The author develops the hypothesis that women from different population subgroups respond differently to economic and background influences when timing initial childbearing. Data are taken from the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience and concern some 5,000 U.S. women followed from 1968 to 1978. "Among all groups examined, age at first birth tends to increase as education levels increase, and married women with spouses present tend to be older than other women at first childbirth. Among whites, all economic influences considered--hourly pay rate, nonmarket income, and work during the year prior to childbearing--have a significant influence in deferring first childbirth, but family background does not. Among blacks, family background plays a significant role in determining age at first childbirth, but only one economic influence--the hourly pay rate--is significant."