Re-partnering and fertility

Since the 1970s, rising rates of marital dissolution are observable across Europe. Next to the climbing
of the divorce rates, the increasing absolute number of separations among cohabiting couples is
the direct consequence of the growing propensity of couples to cohabit rather than get marry. At
the same time, it has been found that almost 50% of separated individuals are re-partnered in 5
years from the union dissolution. These considerations bring implications for fertility studies. Do
re-partnered mothers have a different probability of having a new child with respect to mothers
with the same partner? Is it because of different unobserved preferences or do re-partnered
women evaluate the costs or benefits related to a new birth in a different way? Finally, to what
extent can the re-partnering process recover lost births with separations? To answer these
questions, we use data from 31 European countries, over the years 2007-2018. We find that
women with new partners are more likely to have one additional child than women who already
share children with their current partner. The former feel less the burden of age and already having
children. Moreover, their fertility choices are less influenced by the level of family income. If the
separation occurs at a relatively young age and the new relationship relatively quickly, then births
“lost” through separations can be recovered.