The Influence of Partner Involvement in Fatherhood and Domestic Tasks on Mothers' Fertility Expectations in Italy

Abstract

Does greater partner involvement in household tasks and childcare increase the mother’s desire to have a second or a third child? An answer to this question was sought in Italy, a country characterised by very low fertility. Further comparisons were made between working and non-working mothers. Data from the ISTAT Survey on Births completed in 2000-2001 were used to study the impact of fathers’ involvement and mothers’ employment on expected fertility of women who had a child between 18 to 21 months prior to their interviews (N = 9,852). Working women had the same fertility intentions as non-working women, but these expectations were conditioned by several factors. Fathers’ participation in childcare and domestic activities significantly increased the intention to have a second child for working women, while fathers’ participation had no influence on the intentions to have a third child or on fertility intentions of non-working women.