Employment Instability and Childbirth over the Last 20 Years in Italy

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Demography
• Economics

Background:

• Family formation is linked to economic and social stability.
• Employment instability is known to negatively impact fertility decisions.
• Italy has experienced increasing labor market deregulation from 2000-2020.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between employment instability and the likelihood of having a first or additional child in Italy.
• To analyze trends in fertility and employment instability over two decades.
• To investigate differences based on education and partners' employment situations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Italian Labour Force Survey (2000-2020).
• Employed statistical analysis to assess the relationship between employment instability and fertility.
• Examined subgroup differences by educational attainment and partner's employment status.

Main Results:

• Individual employment instability (temporary work, unemployment) negatively affects the probability of having a first and second child.
• The negative association between fertility and employment instability has intensified in recent decades, especially for women.
• Partner's employment situation has less impact on women's fertility decisions compared to men's.

Conclusions:

• Employment instability is a significant barrier to family formation in Italy, particularly for lower-order births.
• The increasing precariousness of the labor market disproportionately affects women's fertility choices.
• Policy interventions addressing employment security may be crucial for supporting fertility trends.