2026 Undergraduate Research Showcase

Drivers of the Fertility Gap Among U.S. Women

Document Type

Student Presentation

Presentation Date

4-24-2026

Faculty Sponsor

Dr. Kristin Snopkowski and Dr. Paula Sheppard

Abstract

Recent research has identified a global "fertility gap," wherein women consistently have fewer children than they desire. While individual drivers have been studied, the interplay between multiple factors remains under-explored. This study employed a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) to quantify the relative impact of various attributes on fertility intentions. Data were collected via a Qualtrics survey of 571 women (ages 22–45), who chose between two fertility scenarios to determine which factors most significantly influenced their "ideal" reproductive outcome. Analysis revealed that lack of a partner, financial instability, and poor local school/neighborhood quality were the primary drivers of scenario "distaste." Furthermore, education-level (Less than college vs. College degree or more) showed that housing constraints, specifically living in a cramped apartment, were particularly disliked by those with lower educational attainment. Additionally, being in a more secure and stable job is more favored by more highly educated women. These findings highlight the impact of different factors and their potential drive of the fertility gap within different education brackets.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS