Income, Contract Uncertainty, and Fertility: Experimental Evidence from Czechia

Thomas Philip Heyes , Department of Sociology, Masaryk University, Faculty of Social Studies
Martin Kreidl, Masaryk University, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Studies

This study examines how income levels and employment uncertainty shape perceived prerequisites for parenthood. While conventional wisdom suggests that employment instability leads couples to postpone childbearing, empirical evidence for this relationship remains mixed. Over the past two decades, the perceived income prerequisites for having children have increased substantially. Drawing on data from a factorial survey experiment conducted in Czechia in 2024 (n = 2,990 respondents aged 18-49), we analyse how income, temporary employment contracts, childcare availability, and housing tenure influence perceptions of readiness for parenthood. Our experimental design allows us to disentangle the relative importance of these economic factors in shaping fertility-related judgments. Results reveal four key findings: (1) low income represents the primary obstacle to fertility, (2) women's low earnings pose less of a barrier than men's, (3) housing costs, rather than renting per se, constitute a significant impediment, and (4) high income does not mitigate the negative effects of employment uncertainty. These findings contribute to understanding how economic precarity and rising costs shape contemporary perceptions of what is necessary before having children.

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 Presented in Session 7. Fertility and Work Conditions