Change in the perceived reproductive age window and delayed fertility in Europe

2024/03/01 by Ester Lazzari, Marie‐Caroline Compans, Éva Beaujouan · 1 voice · 25 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Convergence (economics) #Demographic Trends and Gender Preferences #Demographic economics #Demography #Economic growth #Economics #European Social Survey #Family Dynamics and Relationships #Fertility #Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving #Political science #Population #Postponement #Psychology #Sociology

paper · pdf · doi:10.1080/00324728.2023.2298678

published in Population Studies 79(1), 81-101 (Taylor & Francis)

openalex publication_date 2024/03/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

While extensive literature documents the massive fertility delay of recent decades, knowledge about whether and how attitudes towards the timing of births have changed in Europe remains limited. Using data from two rounds of the European Social Survey, we investigate these changes and their association with macro-level fertility indicators in 21 countries. Between 2006-07 and 2018-19, societal consensus regarding the existence of optimal childbearing ages remained strong and became more in favour of later parenthood. Decomposition analyses show that these shifts were driven only partially by changes in population composition, supporting the idea that a general attitudinal change in favour of later childbearing is underway. We also find a trend towards gender convergence in upper age limits driven by the increasing social recognition of an age deadline for men's childbearing. Although shifts in perceived reproductive age windows occurred during periods of birth postponement, they corresponded only loosely to country-level changes in fertility.

Citations

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Cited by

• Two decades of earnings inequality in Hungary

Discussions

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