The Role of High School Math and Science Course Taking in the Transition to First Birth

Sarah R. Crissey, University of Texas at Austin
Lindsey Wilkinson, University of Texas at Austin

Previous research suggests negative consequences of an early transition to motherhood. The causes of early fertility are debatable, with the most predominant explanation being neoclassical economic theory that argues that increased human capital delays fertility. In contrast, other research suggests that college provides a normative climate which stalls the transition to motherhood until post-graduation. We extend this line of research by using Add Health and the linked AHAA transcript study to investigate the association between high school math and science course taking and fertility among a sample of women ages 18-26. Preliminary results indicate a negative association between persistence in math and science and early transition to motherhood and suggest postsecondary education as a mediator. Further analyzes will attempt to test competing theories of early transition to motherhood using more nuanced measures of labor force participation and educational trajectories.