Having a child later: socio-demographic issues of delayed births.

Summary The back cover states: "For several decades, the age of childbirth has been declining. Based on demographic and economic data from twenty-eight European countries, the authors analyze the causes and consequences of this postponement of births, with particular emphasis on France and Germany. They identify two predominant factors: the length of mothers' studies and the stability of their professional situation. The age of childbirth is a social marker that allows an original reading of the dynamics specific to each country. This booklet shows that the decline in the age of childbirth is not, in general, associated with a decline in fertility, even if Germany constitutes an interesting counter-example. This sheds light on the difficult question of the effectiveness of pro-birth policies and their effects on individual decisions about the age of childbirth.