Childbearing desires before and after the Covid-19 outbreak in Australia: Who changed their attitudes toward having a first or additional child?

Abstract

Using a quasi-experimental cohort design, this study examines whether childbearing desires were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and investigates which pandemic-related factors have affected childbearing desires the most. To address these questions, a unique panel dataset is used, collected before and after the outbreak of Covid-19 in Australia. Results show that parents who already had one child were the most likely to experience a decline in childbearing desires as a result of the pandemic, while childbearing desires were most stable among those who were childless. Economic and employment related factors did not appear to be of great relevance in predicting changes in childbearing plans, however of strong importance were changes to the quality of couple relationships and of social support from family and friends.