Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/243474 
Year of Publication: 
2020
Series/Report no.: 
Research Papers in Economics No. 7/20
Publisher: 
Universität Trier, Fachbereich IV - Volkswirtschaftslehre, Trier
Abstract: 
Religion Predicting Fertility Behaviour of Young Women in Contemporary GermanyReligion in contemporary Germany is marked by institutionalized outreach as well as increased pluralisation. Religion can thus play a decisive role in fertility behaviour, despite of secularizing tendencies. Religion may influence the debut and frequency of sexual activity, contraceptive behaviour, cohabitation and marriage. Religious rules on alcohol consumption relate to the likelihood of miscarriages; religious values transmit into abortion laws. This fertility behaviour determines the time when young women have their first live birth. Using data from the German Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics, the paper explores whether being Catholic, Protestant, Muslim or non-religious shapes fertility patterns of young women in contemporary Germany. The paper extends earlier analyses by integrating miscarriages and abortions, rather than limiting the analysis to births. Results show that Muslims are the youngest when becoming pregnant for the first time. Protestants delay first pregnancy, but once being pregnant, Protestants are more likely to carry their first pregnancy to term rather than having an abortion. With respect to first pregnancy and its outcome, Catholics surprisingly compare to non-religious women. Against the background of increasing immigration from religiously vivid countries to Germany, the relation between religion and fertility behaviour is likely to remain significant.
Subjects: 
Religion
pregnancy
miscarriage
abortion
live birth
young women
JEL: 
Z12
J13
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
468.51 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.