夫婦のジェンダー関係と第一子出産タイミング

Abstract

This article examines the influence of gender-equity within the family on the tempo of first childbearing in Japan. To this end, we applied proportional hazard regression to data from the 1998 National Family Research Survey, supplemented by national-level data on economic performance and the development of family-friendly policy. The results of this study show, firstly, that a more equal sharing of housework between a husband and wife tends to delay her entry into motherhood. Secondly, the relation between female educational attainment and the length of a first birth interval varies depending on the level of gender-equity within the family. More specifically, in households with the egalitarian gender division of domestic work, the influence of wives' educational level on the tempo of first birth is great. In contrast, where housework concentrates on wives, their education has a small impact on childbearing behaviour.