2026-04-17T23:06:22Zhttps://recercat.cat/oai/request

oai:recercat.cat:10230/565252025-12-22T13:35:37Zcom_2072_6col_2072_452952

00925njm 22002777a 4500 dc Bellés Obrero, Cristina Adelaida author Cabrales, Antonio author Jiménez-Martín, Sergi author Vall-Castelló, Judit author 2023-04-20T06:21:11Z 2023-04-20T06:21:11Z 2023 We study the effect of women’s education on fertility and children’s health during a period of gender equalization and women’s greater access to economic opportunities. In 1980, Spain raised the minimum working age from 14 to 16, while the compulsory education age remained at 14. This reform changed the within-cohort incentives to remain in the educational system. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we find that the reform delayed fertility but did not impact the completed fertility of affected women. We also show that the reform was detrimental to the health of the children of affected mothers at delivery. We document two channels for this adverse effect: the postponement in the entrance of motherhood and the deterioration of mothers’ health habits (such as smoking and drinking). However, in the medium run, these more educated mothers reverse the adverse health shocks at birth through maternal vigilance and investment in their children’s health habits. Jiménez-Martín gratefully acknowledges the support from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities (MICINN) through PID2020- 114231RB-I0 and from Spanish National Research Agency (AEI) through the Severo Ochoa Programme for Centres of Excellence in R&D (Barcelona School of Economics CEX2019-000915-S), Cabrales acknowledges support from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities (MICINN) through PID2021- 126892NB-I00, from MICIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, Spain through the María de Maeztu Programme for Centres of Excellence in R&D CEX2021-001181-M and from Comunidad de Madrid, Spain through EPUC3M11 (V PRICIT), and Bellés-Obrero acknowledges support from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) through CRC TR 224 (Project A02). Education Fertility Infant health Gender equalization Women’s education, fertility and children’ health during a gender equalization process: evidence from a child labor reform in Spain