A groundbreaking study reveals that job security and career prospects strongly influence Finnish men's decisions about having children, painting a complex picture of modern family planning in the Nordic nation.
Research from the Max Planck Institute shows Finland's fertility rate has dropped dramatically, with men's total fertility rate plunging from 1.73 to 1.21 children between 2010-2019. The decline varies significantly across different career fields and education levels.
Career paths shape family planning
The study found that men working in fields with clear career trajectories and stable employment, such as healthcare and teaching, maintain higher fertility rates. Healthcare professionals average 2.23 children, while teachers hover around 2.11 children per person.
In contrast, sectors marked by economic uncertainty show sharp declines. Information technology, environmental sciences, and chemical engineering saw fertility drops of 40% or more over the past decade. Natural sciences fields experienced a striking 41.6% decrease.
Public sector advantage
Government jobs emerge as relative safe havens for family planning. Police officers saw only a 9% decline in fertility rates, while health and welfare workers experienced a modest 20% drop. Public sector employment's stability appears to provide the confidence needed for family planning.
Education's lasting impact
Educational choices cast long shadows over family formation. Fields with clear professional paths show resilient fertility rates, while general disciplines face steeper declines. In arts and humanities, 31% remain childless, while natural sciences see rates exceeding 40%.
Nordic paradox
These findings present a paradox in Finland's welfare state model, which emphasizes gender equality and family support through affordable childcare and parental leave. Despite these programs, economic uncertainty increasingly shapes fertility decisions.
The research indicates economic factors explain about half of the total fertility rate decline and two-thirds of the decrease in first births. This suggests that even Finland's comprehensive social support system cannot fully shield family planning from economic pressures.
Looking ahead
The findings highlight growing reproductive inequalities in Finnish society, challenging the nation's egalitarian ideals. As economic stability becomes increasingly central to family planning, policymakers face mounting pressure to address these disparities through targeted support for economically uncertain fields and enhanced work-family balance initiatives.