The author analyzes the relationship between the availability of public childcare for children under age three and the decision to have a first child. One would expect that providing women with the option of returning to work soon after childbirth would reduce the anticipated negative effects of having a child on a womans career. However, existing research results on this relationship are inconsistent.

Sandra Krapf, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany

Sonstiges