Millennials as Parents-Multilevel Analysis of Predictors of Entry into Parenthood

Natalija Miric , University of Belgrade

Today, millennials present the largest part of reproductive potential, and their specific fertility behavior in terms of late entry into parenthood is evident which implies fewer children than past generations. Educational and professional achievement is highly placed in the lives of millennials which can be considered as one of the direct cause of delay of parenthood. The aim of this paper is to point out the predictors of entry into parenthood among millennials, as well as to investigate whether there are differences between men and women. Multilevel analysis is used which is based on data from the Survey on Income and Living Conditions in Serbia (2017). The analysis included 1 284 millennials or 642 households consisted of married couples who had a child/children. The results show that individual and wife’s/husband’s characteristics explain a significant portion of variations in age at entry into parenthood, while socio-economic characteristics of the households are not significant in explaining these variations. Individual and partner’s characteristics differently affect entry into parenthood among women and men. Results show that 70% of variations in age at entry into parenthood among women are explained by their own individual characteristics, while the same variation among men is largely explained by the characteristics of their wives. The inclusion of both individual and partner’s characteristics in the model shows that the economic stability of husband is a significant predictor of entering into motherhood, while education and length of schooling of a wife are significant predictors of entering into fatherhood.

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 Presented in Session P1. Poster Session Fertility, Family and the Life Course