SP 2 Human Reproduction in Societies and Markets

The Project encompasses sociological, psychological and economic quantitative research on human reproduction and addresses the following key questions:

• How do reproductive decisions, individual biographies, societies, and labor markets interrelate?
• What are the consequences of new fertility treatments for women, parents, children, families, economies, and ethical and social norms?

The sub-project unites competencies in sociology, psychology, economics, and medicine. Its main empirical base will be a panel study in relevant groups hosted at the Data Centre; this combines standardized questions, vignette and survey experiments, biomarkers, and behavioral measures by using quasiexperiments.

Sociological research frames the big picture and will examine reproductive decisions about new fertility treatments and their consequences for individuals, families, and society in general.

Psychobiological research addresses the consequences of established and innovative fertility treatments for parents and their children. We will longitudinally investigate technologically assisted forms of reproduction such as (1) IVF and ICSI, and (2) social egg freezing (SEF).

Socioeconomic research will ask how the reproductive decisions of men and women are intertwined with local labor market opportunities. The relationship between fertility and labor supply has been intensely debated in various contexts. We will leverage recent advances in the genetic architecture of fertility and gender-specific shocks to education and labor market opportunities to understand how the trade-off between career and family is shaped by increasing inequality, income uncertainty, greater female representation in higher education, and the varying prices of fertility treatments. 

StART Familie – Studie zum Einfluss assistierter Reproduktionstechniken auf die Familie (The impact of assisted reproductive techniques on the family) 

Julia Jeannine Schmid & Prof. Dr. Ulrike Ehlert

The project «StART Familie» (PDF, 790 KB) aims to examine the medium-term biopsychological effects of assisted reproductive techniques on the family for a better understanding of their risks and opportunities. We are analyzing whether the use of assisted reproductive techniques affects the mental health of parents, various aspects of parenthood, and the psychosocial development of children. In addition, we would like to know more about the biological and psychological mechanisms behind it. The study participation includes filling out psychological questionnaires by the parents and collecting fingernail samples and saliva samples from the whole family at home. 

The expected duration of the project is from September 2021 to August 2024.

EEggg – Eizellen Einfrieren – geplant, gemacht, genutzt? (Egg freezing - planned, done, used?) 

M. Sc. Julia Jeannine Schmid & Prof. Dr. Ulrike Ehlert 

In industrialized countries, more and more women are freezing some of their eggs to increase their chances of pregnancy later in life. If this is not done for medical reasons (e. g. before chemotherapy), this is called social egg freezing (SEF). The psychological background of this decision has not yet been studied. The aim of the study «EEggg» is to investigate psychological aspects of SEF. On one hand, we would like to explore how women in German-speaking countries think about SEF. On the other hand, we would like to find out what psychological characteristics women who freeze eggs have, and what their reasons are for this decision. It is a 40-minute anonymous online study open to women aged 18 and over. Participation: Link

Reproductive Decisions, Study Choice, and Leaky Pipeline

The research project by Prof. Dr. Margit Osterloh, Prof. Dr. Katja Rost, Annina Mösching, and Louisa Hizli explores the relation of reproductive decisions, study choice, and the Leaky Pipeline at Swiss universities. The term Leaky Pipeline characterizes the continuous decline in the proportion of women when climbing up the career ladder. The aim of this research project is to analyze the impact of anticipated parenthood on the field of study and on the pursuit of an (academic) career.

(Not) Thinking about the Future: Inattention and Female Labor Force Participation by Dr. Michaela Slotwinski

Large and persistent earnings gaps open up between men and women after childbirth. While studies have documented that these gaps arise from drastically reduced labor supply of mothers, it is less well understood which factors women consider when making these decisions, and whether they are aware of the resulting financial implications. In this study, we randomly provide working mothers in Switzerland with information on the long-term financial consequences of a reduced workload. We highlight the impacts on lifetime earnings, pension savings, and financial well-being after potential adverse events. We find that women who receive the information treatment adjust their financial behavior and increase their workload aspirations. We confirm the persistence of effects in a follow-up survey two months after the intervention. We will merge survey data to administrative data in early 2024 to measure actual labor supply choices.