Trends in labor force participation of married mothers of infants
Before investigating the trends in labor force participation rates among married mothers of infants, this article begins with a look at their demographic characteristics. In 2005, there were 2.4 million married mothers whose youngest child was less than 1 year old. The characteristics of married mothers with infants vary somewhat from those of married mothers overall. Not surprisingly, those with infants were younger, on average, than married mothers in general. Among married mothers of infants, in 2005, about 79 percent were under the age of 35. In contrast, just 36 percent of all married mothers were under 35.
Married mothers aged 25 and older with infants are well educated, on average. Nearly half (47 percent) had a college degree, compared with 35 percent of all married mothers of that age group.
Another 26 percent of married mothers of infants had completed 1 to 3 years of college, compared with 29 percent of all mothers. The proportions of married mothers of infants who were white non-Hispanic (67 percent), black non-Hispanic (7 percent), Asian non-Hispanic (7 percent), or Hispanic (18 percent) were very similar to those of other mothers.7 About 21 percent of mothers with infants were born outside the United States, also about the same as the proportion for all mothers.
