Study: Men and women react differently to job loss when deciding on parenthood

The decision to start a family is increasingly being postponed, with a new study revealing starkly different reactions between men and women when job stability disappears. In Romania, where the birth rate has hit a historic low with approximately 145,700 children born in 2025, this issue carries significant weight.

The study, published in Social Science Research, found that if a woman loses her job, the likelihood of a couple having their first child decreases by 1.82 percentage points, even when household income is considered. This suggests that professional stability, not just financial security, plays a crucial role in the decision-making process for women.

Conversely, when a man loses his job, couples are less likely to abandon the idea of a first child but tend to delay having a second. Researchers were surprised that this effect persisted even after accounting for household income, indicating that professional status acts as a key indicator of stability for both partners.

These findings echo sentiments shared in online discussions, such as on Reddit's r/Adulting forum. Users frequently cite the need for financial and emotional stability as reasons for delaying parenthood. One 36-year-old user expressed contentment with choosing not to have children, prioritizing his mental health and avoiding the risk of passing on his own emotional difficulties, despite occasional thoughts of future regret. Another user, already a parent, admitted that the prospect of an unplanned pregnancy, even while financially stable and raising their child with love, causes significant anxiety after experiencing job loss.