REPRODUCTIVE BURDEN AND ITS IMPACT ON FEMALE LABOUR MARKET OUTCOMES IN INDIA: EVIDENCE FROM LONGITUDINAL ANALYSES
We use nationally representative data from two waves of the Indian Human Development Surveyto provide causal evidence on the role of inter-temporal changes in fertility behaviour ininfluencing female labor market outcomes. Our multivariate regression estimates show that anincrease in the number of children reduces labor force participation and earnings. We furtherinvestigated the impact of fertility changes on transitions from the labor market. The results showthat women who had more than three children in both rounds of the survey had a 3.5 percentagepoints higher probability of exiting from the labor market. Disaggregated analyses by caste,economic status and region show regional heterogeneity, and the probability of dropping-out ofthe labor market due to fertility changes is greater for non-poor women and those from sociallydisadvantaged castes.