Cross-Sectional Average Length of Life Childless

Ryohei Mogi , Centre d’Estudis Demogràfics (CED), Universitat de Barcelona
Jessica Nisén, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
Marilia Nepomuceno, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
Vladimir Canudas-Romo, Australian National University

The increase in childless rate and in the average age at first birth has extended the number of years that women spend childless. These years can be quantified using a measure such as the expected years without children (EYWC). EYWC captures the first birth quantum and timing and allows comparisons over time and countries, however, it has the typical period-cohort index problem. To overcome this problem, we employ the cross-sectional average length of life childless, or CALC(t), which includes all the first birth information available for all the cohorts present at a given time. Using Swedish and American data from Human Fertility Database, we describe the cross-sectional average length of life childless for the two populations in 2015 and decompose their difference. The result illustrates the impact of the high young age first birth rates in the US and the catching-up process of Sweden in later ages.

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 Presented in Session 116. Innovations in Measurement for Fertility, Family Planning, and Sexual and Reproductive Health