WASHINGTON - People working in the public sector find it easier to make decisions on having a baby, says a study.

Dr Tiziana Nazio, who conducted the research, found that the relative security of employment in the public sector, in addition with a more ‘family friendly’ ethos in the private sector, both the UK and Italy, could foster fertility.

Dr Nazio said: “The public sector tends to offer a guaranteed job to return to, a career progression more linked to seniority and more flexible hours and time off to care for sick children.”

The expert added: “The results show that the decision to have a child is often far from straightforward, especially for women. There is a strong link between women’s employment and fertility but not between men’s work and fertility.

“Women’s decisions about both work and having children seem to be linked to values, beliefs and other characteristics which are not measured in surveys, whereas men have children regardless of their orientation towards work.

‘However, we did find a strong link between the pattern of men’s careers and women’s and it is also clear that children are more likely to be born in situations where it is easier for women to move in and out of the labour market, or to reduce their working hours for a period.” (ANI)