Beyond the two-child family: factors affecting second and third birth rates in West Germany

Abstract: "Based on retrospective data from the German Family Survey (DJI Familiensurvey) 2000, we investigate factors associated with the transition from the second to the third child for West German women of the birth cohorts 1944-1979 and contrast them to the determinants of the transition from the first to the second child. Applying event history analysis, we confirm effects of timing and spacing of children and mothers’ labor force participation reported in previous studies. In addition, we find a higher third birth rate for women with two children of the same sex, who might wish to have a child of the opposite sex. Further, we find a higher third birth rate for women with two or more siblings, which we interpret as transmission of family values. Finally, women with a new partner since the first birth as well as women with a new partner since the second birth show higher third birth rates, which might result from a union-confirmation effect of shared children in combination with a two c

Object Details

• Alternative title: Einflussfaktoren auf die Übergangsraten zur zweiten und dritten Geburt in Westdeutschland
• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Veröffentlichungsversion ; begutachtet (peer reviewed) ; In: Zeitschrift für Familienforschung ; 28 (2016) 1 ; 3-18

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Sozialwissenschaften, Soziologie, Anthropologie

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Mannheim
• (when): 2016
• Creator: Schröder, Jette ; Schmiedeberg, Claudia ; Brüderl, Josef

Further information

• URN: urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-46545-3
• Rights: Open Access unbekannt; Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 14.08.2025, 10:47 AM CEST