Fertility Intentions and Obstacles to their Realization in France and Italy

Realization of fertility intentions by different time frames

“…This means that country-specific norms of the ideal number of children usually exceed the average number of children in completed families (Goldstein, Lutz, & Testa, 2003;Harknett & Hartnett, 2014). In line with this, research on fertility intentions at the microlevel has shown that positive fertility intentions are not always realized and tend to overestimate subsequent childbearing, while negative fertility intentions are a good predictor for the absence of births (for an overview see, for example, Ré gnier-Loilier & Vignoli, 2011). From both a welfare-state perspective, which is concerned about low fertility, and the perspective of individual wellbeing, an important question is why positive fertility intentions are not realized.…”

“…The consistency between positive fertility intentions ('I intend to have a(nother) child') and subsequent behaviour is less strong, but still important. Positive fertility intentions are persistent predictors of fertility, even after controlling for background and life course variables in different institutional settings (Kapitá ny & Spé der, 2012;Kuhnt & Trappe, 2013;Mencarini et al, in press;Miller & Pasta, 1995b;Noack & Østby, 2000;Ré gnier-Loilier & Vignoli, 2011;Schoen et al, 1999;Spé der & Kapitá ny, 2009Testa & Toulemon, 2006). Barber (2001) includes the TPB factor attitudes and finds that positive attitudes towards children and childbearing increase the rate of marital childbearing in the United States.…”

“…Focusing on positive fertility intentions, previous studies suggest that childless realize their intentions to a lesser degree than parents (Kapitá ny & Spé der, 2012; Kuhnt & Trappe, 2013;Noack & Østby, 2000;QuesnelVallé e & Morgan, 2003;Ré gnier-Loilier & Vignoli, 2011;Testa & Toulemon, 2006). Individuals with a partner are more likely to realize positive fertility intentions than singles (Spé der & Kapitá ny, 2009, and union stability has a similar positive effect (Kapitá ny & Spé der, 2012; Kuhnt & Trappe, 2013;Mencarini et al, in press).…”

Fertility Ideals of Women and Men Across the Life Course

“…In particular, we examine how fertility ideals evolve as people age, how patterns differ by gender, and whether other factors-such as changes in an individual's partnership or employment domain-lead to changes in fertility ideals. Our study contributes to the large body of literature that has explored different concepts of fertility desires and intentions in Germany (e.g., Buhr and Kuhnt 2012;Heiland et al 2008;Keim et al 2009;Kuhnt 2013;Kuhnt and Trappe 2013;Lutz et al 2013;Marbach and Tölke 2013;Rost 2005;Ruckdeschel 2007), for other countries (e.g., Bernardi et al 2015;Iacovou and Tavares 2011;Klobas and Ajzen 2015;Liefbroer 2009;Miller 2011;Morgan 1982;Quesnel-Vallée and Morgan 2004;Spéder and Kapitány 2015;Thomson 1997; Thomson and Hoem 1998;Vignoli et al 2013) or across countries (e.g., Balbo and Mills 2011;Kapitány and Spéder 2013;Philipov et al 2006;Puur et al 2008;Régnier-Loilier et al 2011;Testa 2007;Testa and Basten 2014).…”

Varying association between education and second births in Europe

“…By contrast, the countries in Southern Europe are characterised by a shorter period of child-related leave and limited provision of childcare services (Delgado, Meil, and Zamora-López 2008;De Rose, Racioppi, and Zanatta 2008;Baizán 2009). Additional features, frequently associated with the Mediterranean countries, include difficulties of entering the labour market, job insecurity, an unfavourable housing market, and traditional division of gender roles (Salvini 2004;Régnier-Loilier and Vignoli 2011).…”