The Multifaceted Impact of Education on Entry into Motherhood

This article studies the composite effect of education on young women’s entry into motherhood, using longitudinal data from Norway from 1971 to 2001. In line with previous research, we find that school enrolment delays motherhood, but having finished education there is a catching-up effect, as women who have completed at higher levels have their first child sooner than women who have completed at lower levels. Contrasting behaviour between women within various fields of education further indicate a career-adjustment effect related to differences in opportunity costs and/or preference heterogeneity. Finally, increasing educational differences in the timing of motherhood among younger cohorts suggest that long parental leaves and generous family benefits may fit better with a career track in some jobs than others.Lappegård T. et Rønsen M., 2005, The multifaceted impact of education on entry into motherhood, European Journal of Population 21: 31–49Lappegård T. et Rønsen M., 2005, Les multiples facettes de l’effet de l’instruction sur la maternité, Revue Européenne de Démographie, 21: 31–49