TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Gallen, Yana
AU  - Joensen, Juanna Schrøter
AU  - Johansen, Eva Rye
AU  - Veramendi, Gregory F.
        TI  - The Labor Market Returns to Delaying Pregnancy
        PY  - 2026/Apr/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 18529
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/publications/dp18529
        AB  - We study the labor market impact of unplanned pregnancy among women using long-acting reversible contraceptives to delay pregnancy.  While most women successfully delay, some have unplanned pregnancies, providing quasi-random variation in pregnancy timing.  Analyzing linked health and labor market data from Sweden, we find that unplanned pregnancies halt women’s career progression, resulting in income losses of 19% five years later.  We find similar effects of unplanned births among women using short-acting reversible contraceptives.  Using pregnancy as an instrument for birth in a dynamic treatment effect framework, effects of unplanned children are more detrimental for younger women and those enrolled in education.
        KW  - labor market costs of motherhood
KW  - fertility
KW  - contraceptives
KW  - unplanned pregnancy
        ER  -