Book Chapter

Between first and second birth in Italy

Abstract

This papers explores the effect of contextual characteristics on the transition to second birth among Italian women. We use the complete fertility and employement histories collected by the "Indagine Longitudinale sulle Famiglie Italiane" (Italian Family Panel - ILFI - waves 1997-2001). Results of the multilevel event history models show that, net of individual socio-economic characteristics of the woman, the percentage of women in the labor force and the local level of religiosity infleunce the probability of experiencing a second birth. The residential context is a proxy of structural and cultural vairaiton which needs to be further investigated in relation to reproductive choices.