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Source: Economics Department, University of Virginia
Resulting in 1 citation.
1. Miller, Amalia Rebecca
Motherhood Delay and the Human Capital of the Next Generation
Working Paper, Economics Department, University of Virginia, October 24, 2008.
Cohort(s): Children of the NLSY79, NLSY79
Publisher: Economics Department, University of Virginia
Keyword(s): Age at First Birth; Contraception; Fertility; Human Capital; Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT- Math); Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT- Reading); Variables, Instrumental

Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

This paper exploits biological fertility shocks as instrumental variables to estimate the effect of motherhood delay on the cognitive ability of the next generation. Using detailed panel data on women in the NLSY79 and their first-born children aged 5 to 14, we find a year of delay leads to significant increases in math and reading scores: a 7 year delay produces gains on par with the black-white score difference. These results reveal a potential weakness of pro-natalist policies promoting early motherhood. While such policies may increase total period fertility rates, they will be less effective at increasing total human capital.
Bibliography Citation
Miller, Amalia Rebecca. "Motherhood Delay and the Human Capital of the Next Generation." Working Paper, Economics Department, University of Virginia, October 24, 2008..