Janna Bergsvik

• Hart, Rannveig Kaldager; Bergsvik, Janna; Fauske, Agnes & Kim, Wookun (2024). Causal Analysis of Policy Effects on Fertility. In Zimmermann, Klaus F. (Eds.), Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics. Springer. ISSN 978-3-319-57365-6. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-57365-6_451-1. Show summary

  This chapter reviews the literature on the causal effects of policies on fertility. It focuses on evidence from experiments and quasi-experiments in low fertility contexts, including studies from Europe, Northern America, Oceania, and Asia. Making no a priori restrictions on policy type, the review encompasses evaluations of parental leave, childcare, health insurance, and financial incentives such as child transfers. Childcare expansions increase completed fertility. Financial incentives had positive effects on fertility across contexts, both in the short and long run. Expansions of parental leave rights in Central Europe, and introduction of parental leave in the USA, also had positive effects. Distributional effects of these policies are very different, with parental leave compensation benefiting high-earning couples, while expansions of childcare programs have potential to reduce social inequalities. Publicly funded assisted reproduction can increase fertility for women over the age of 35.

• Wiik, Kenneth Aarskaug & Bergsvik, Janna (2023). Partner Choice and Economic Outcomes among the Children of Immigrants. International Migration Review. ISSN 0197-9183. doi: 10.1177/01979183231202990. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Several studies have shown that immigrants marrying natives experience better economic outcomes than those marrying other immigrants, but we know less about partner choice and the economic outcomes of the children of immigrants and among those forming cohabiting unions. Utilizing Norwegian register data from all cohabiting and marital unions formed between 2006 and 2018 involving second-generation and childhood immigrants (N = 49,692 couples, 65% cohabiting), we explored how partner choice relates to employment status, individual income, and household income for up to 14 years after union formation. Overall, children of immigrants with native partners were more frequently employed and earned higher incomes than those who chose partners from migrant-backgrounds. Fixed effects model results confirmed that children of immigrants who partnered endogamously experienced less favorable employment and individual income trajectories compared to those partnering with natives. We discovered similar negative impacts on the likelihood of employment and on the individual incomes of men who partnered exogamously with migrant-background women. However, when ignoring initial selection and shifting focus solely to changes post-union formation, we found that partnering endogamously had a positive effect on household income. In general, we observed the strongest effects among women and those married, and we noticed important differences across global regions of origin.

• Bergsvik, Janna; Cools, Sara & Hart, Rannveig Kaldager (2023). Explaining Residential Clustering of Large Families. European Journal of Population. ISSN 0168-6577. 39. doi: 10.1007/s10680-023-09655-6. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Numerous studies have shown that fertility behavior is spatially clustered. In addition to pure contextual effects, two causal mechanisms could drive this pattern. First, neighbors may influence each other's fertility and second, family size may influence decisions about where to live. In this study we examine these two potential causal mechanisms empirically, using the sex composition of the two eldest children and twin births as instrumental variables (IVs) for having a third child. We estimate how having a third child affects three separate outcomes: the fertility of neighbors; the propensity to move houses; and the likelihood of living in a family-friendly neighborhood with many children. We draw residential and childbearing histories (2000–2018) from Norwegian administrative registers (N ~ 167,000 women). Individuals' neighborhoods are defined using time-varying geocoordinates for place of residence. We identify selective moves as one plausible causal driver of residential clustering of large families. This study contributes to the understanding of fertility and relocation, and to the literature on the social interaction effects of fertility, by testing the relevance of yet another network: that of neighbors.

• Bergsvik, Janna; Fauske, Agnes & Hart, Rannveig Kaldager (2021). Can Policies Stall the Fertility Fall? A Systematic Review of the (Quasi‐) Experimental Literature. Population and Development Review. ISSN 0098-7921. 47(4), p. 913–964. doi: 10.1111/padr.12431. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In the course of the twentieth century, social scientists and policy analysts have produced a large volume of literature on whether policies boost fertility. This paper describes the results of a systematic review of the literature on the effects of policy on fertility since 1970 in Europe, the United States,Canada, and Australia. Empirical studies were selected through extensive systematic searches, including studies using an experimental or quasi‐experimental design. Thirty‐five studies were included, covering reforms of parental leave, childcare, health services, and universal child transfers. In line with previous reviews, we find that childcare expansions increase completed fertility, while increased cash transfers have temporary effects. New evidence on parental leave expansions, particularly from Central Europe, suggests larger effects than previously established. High‐earning couples benefit more from parental leave expansions, while expanding childcare programs can reduce social inequalities on other domains. Subsidizing assisted reproductive treatments shows some promise of increasing birth rates for women over the age of 35. Countries that to date have limited support for families can build on solid evidence if they choose to expand these programs.

• Bergsvik, Janna (2020). Linking Neighbors’ Fertility: Third Births in Norwegian Neighborhoods. Comparative population studies. ISSN 1869-8980. 45(October), p. 359–394. doi: 10.12765/CPoS-2020-21.
• Bergsvik, Janna; Kitterød, Ragni Hege & Wiik, Kenneth Aarskaug (2020). Parenthood and Couples' Relative Earnings in Norway. European Sociological Review. ISSN 0266-7215. 36(2), p. 218–235. doi: 10.1093/esr/jcz062. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  With the advance of the gender revolution, income dynamics in couples are changing. Nonetheless, in most Western societies, parenthood still promotes specialized gender roles. Utilizing Norwegian register data on all married and cohabiting couples born 1946–1989, we investigate possible changes in the associations between parenthood and within-couple inequality in earnings in the years 2005–2014. Precisely, using interactions and fixed effects models, we compare the development of within-couple gender gaps in earnings over time between childless couples and couples with children of different ages, and within couples before and after childbirth. Results showed that the gender gap in earnings in couples increased with the number of children and was most distinct among couples with children below 6 years. However, the association between parenthood and withincouple inequality in earnings was reduced across the study period, a development partly driven by a decreasing fatherhood premium evident from 2009 onwards. Not only women’s but also men’s income development is now negatively affected by having young children in the household. Our findings, thus, indicate important changes in how men and women prioritize paid labour after a childbirth.

• Fauske, Agnes; Hart, Rannveig Kaldager & Bergsvik, Janna (2019). Protocol for ‘Effects of policy on fertility: A systematic review of (quasi)experiments.’. SocArXiv. doi: 10.31235/osf.io/t8vsg.
• Bergsvik, Janna; Kitterød, Ragni Hege & Wiik, Kenneth Aarskaug (2016). Forsørgermønstre blant par – likestilling eller spesialisering? Søkelys på arbeidslivet. ISSN 1504-8004. 33(4), p. 379–402. doi: 10.18261/issn.1504-7989-2016-04-06. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Analyser av registerdata om pensjonsgivende inntekt viser at omtrent 48 prosent av gifte eller samboende par hadde en likestilt forsørgerpraksis i 2013, ved at partene hadde omtrent like store inntekter. Mannen hadde klart høyest inntekt i 46 prosent av parene, mens kvinnen hadde høyest inntekt i 6 prosent av parene. En likestilt forsørgerpraksis er vanligst når kvinnen har lang utdanning og det ikke er små barn eller mange barn i husholdningen, når kvinnens utdanning er rettet mot et mannsdominert yrke, når mannens utdanning er rettet mot et kvinnedominert yrke i offentlig sektor, og når kvinnen har lengre utdanning enn mannen.

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• Hart, Rannveig Kaldager; Bergsvik, Janna; Fauske, Agnes & Kim, Wookun (2024). Causal analysis of policy effects on fertility.
• Hart, Rannveig Kaldager; Bergsvik, Janna; Fauske, Agnes & Kim, Wookun (2023). Causal Analysis of Policy Effects on Fertility. CESifo Working Papers. ISSN 1617-9595. Show summary

  This chapter reviews the literature on the causal effects of policies on fertility. It focuses on evidence from experiments and quasi-experiments in low fertility contexts, including studies from Europe, Northern America, Oceania and Asia. Making no a priori restrictions on policy type, the review encompasses evaluations of parental leave, childcare, health insurance, and financial incentives such as child transfers. Childcare expansions increase completed fertility. Financial incentives had positive effects on fertility across contexts, both in the short and long run. Expansions of parental leave rights in Central Europe, and introduction of parental leave in the U.S., also had positive effects. Distributional effects of these policies are very different, with parental leave compensation benefiting high-earning couples, while expansions of child care programs have potential to reduce social inequalities.

• Wiik, Kenneth Aarskaug & Bergsvik, Janna (2022). Partner choice and earnings among the children of immigrants in Norway. SocArXiv. doi: 10.31235/osf.io/u7hj3.
• Siow, Maria; Syse, Astri & Bergsvik, Janna (2021). Can China boost its birth rate by adopting the Nordic position? Scandinavian baby-making secrets may need a change in mindset. [Newspaper]. South China Morning Post.
• Syse, Astri; Tømmerås, Ane Margrete; Bergsvik, Janna & Sønstebø, Anders (2021). Vi har fått flere grå hår av coronaen, bokstavelig talt. VG : Verdens gang. ISSN 0805-5203.
• Bergsvik, Janna (2021). Family demographic change in Norway 1970-2020: Trends and drivers.
• Bergsvik, Janna (2021). Befolkningsutviklingen i pandemiåret 2020.
• Bergsvik, Janna (2021). Nabolaget påvirker fødselstallene. [Internet]. Kilden Kjonnsforksning.no.
• Bergsvik, Janna & Wiik, Kenneth Aarskaug (2021). Family Life Pathways and Labor Market Participation: Differences Across Migrant Generations, (Parents’) Country of Birth, and Gender.
• Bergsvik, Janna (2020). Effekter av politiske tiltak på fruktbarheten.
• Bergsvik, Janna (2020). Effekter av politiske tiltak på fruktbarhet.
• Bergsvik, Janna (2020). Barnehager og skattelettelser gir flere fødsler. [Internet]. SSB.no.
• Bergsvik, Janna (2020). Kan politiske tiltak påvirke fallende fruktbarhet i Norge? [TV]. NRK nyhetsmorgen.
• Prestegård, Sofie & Bergsvik, Janna (2020). Love Island-Andrea (25) fryser ned egg i norsk eggbank: – Jeg blir en levende reklameplakat. [TV]. TV2 Nyhetene kl. 21.
• Bergsvik, Janna; Fauske, Agnes & Hart, Rannveig Kaldager (2020). Policy effects on fertility: A systematic review of (quasi)experiments. SSB - Discussion papers. ISSN 0809-733X.
• Bergsvik, Janna; Cools, Sara & Hart, Rannveig Kaldager (2020). Explaining residential clustering of fertility. SSB - Discussion papers. ISSN 0809-733X.
• Bergsvik, Janna (2019). Effects of policy on fertility: A systematic review of (quasi)experiments. .
• Bergsvik, Janna (2019). Har du to barn og naboen tre? Da er sannsynligheten høy for at du får et barn til. Aftenposten (morgenutg. : trykt utg.). ISSN 0804-3116.
• Bergsvik, Janna (2019). Inntektsulikhet mellom partnere - en likestillingsutfordring?
• Bergsvik, Janna (2019). Parenthood and couples’ relative earnings in Norway 2005-2014.
• Bergsvik, Janna (2019). Explaining spatial clustering of fertility.
• Bergsvik, Janna (2019). Linking neighbors’ fertility: Third births in Norwegian neighborhoods. Discussion papers. ISSN 1892-753X. Show summary

  The aim of this paper is to gain more insight on the drivers behind geographical variations in family sizes by pointing out the role of neighborhoods and neighbors for two-child couples’ transitions to third births. Couples’ decisions about fertility behavior are influenced by their social context where immediate neighborhoods and neighbors may play a significant role. Furthermore, as neighborhoods are important contexts of childrearing, couples may sort geographically based on their fertility preferences. Using detailed geo-data from Norwegian administrative registers to locate couples in flexible ego-centered neighborhoods, this paper introduces a new dimension of spatial fertility variations. Results from regression models show that the family size of neighbors is positively related to each other. That is, the likelihood that two-child couples have a third child increases with the share of families with three or more children in the neighborhood. This relationship remains significant also after controlling for a range of couple characteristics, housing, neighboring women’s educational level and time-constant characteristics of neighborhoods. It is also consistent for various neighborhood definitions which in this study range from the 12 to the 500 nearest neighbors. However, the strength of the association between neighbors’ fertility increases with the number of neighbors, providing evidence that residential sorting is a dominant driver.

• Bergsvik, Janna; Kitterød, Ragni Hege & Wiik, Kenneth Aarskaug (2018). Parenthood and couples' relative earnings in Norway 2005-2014. Discussion papers. ISSN 1892-753X. Show summary

  In the current paper, we investigate within-couple inequality in earnings using Norwegian register data on married and cohabiting couples. We are particularly interested in assessing whether the negative relation between children and women’s relative earnings changed during the study period 2005 to 2014. In this period, work-family policy measures meant to facilitate mothers’ employment and promoting fathers’ family involvement were strengthened, and there was a sharp increase in women’s level of education. Controlling for demographic and socioeconomic variables, results showed that women on average still earn less than their male partners and that the presence of small children in the household was negatively related to women’s earnings. However, results from interaction models showed that the negative association between having young children and women’s relative earnings was reduced during the study period. Additional analyses confirmed that this latter finding was mainly due to an income reduction among new fathers.

• Bergsvik, Janna & Birkvad, Ida Roland (2017). Menn føler fortsatt forsørgeransvar. [Internet]. Kilden kjonnsforskning.no.
• Bergsvik, Janna; Lappegård, Trude & Kravdal, Øystein (2021). Couples in context: Understanding family dynamics in Norway. Institutt for Sosiologi og Samfunnsgeografi.

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