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Family orientation, working years and childbearing age: evidence from the China Family Panel Study 2014

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 December 2022

Xingxin Yang Open the ORCID record for Xingxin Yang [Opens in a new window] ,
Yi Shen  and
Yang Bai
Xingxin Yang*
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China
Yi Shen
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210098, China
Yang Bai
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China
*
*Corresponding author. Email: 1418496106@qq.com
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Abstract

This article reports the results of a study investigating the impact of family orientation, the number of years spent working, and their interaction on childbearing age among women who have recently completed their childbearing.

We find that a traditional family orientation and a higher number of working years contribute to delaying the childbearing age. People with a traditional family orientation can delay childbearing because they want to make elaborate material preparations for raising their children. Women who have worked many years are more aware of gender inequality in the domestic sphere (having been exposed to gender equality in the workplace). This is especially the case for women with a modern family orientation. However, this does not necessarily lead people with a modern family orientation to delay childbearing. They may advance their childbearing in an effort to escape an oppressive domestic environment in their families of origin.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 55 , Issue 5 , September 2023 , pp. 921 - 930
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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