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The Power of the Pill: Oral Contraceptives and Women’s Career and Marriage Decisions. Simpreet Sivia , Suniti Santosh , Brian McLean, Jessica Vodouris and Andrew Blair. Goal of the Study.
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The Power of the Pill: Oral Contraceptives and Women’s Career and Marriage Decisions SimpreetSivia, SunitiSantosh, Brian McLean, Jessica Vodouris and Andrew Blair
Goal of the Study • Determine whether legalization of birth control pill altered women’s career plans and their age at first marriage – answer is that they did.
Background 1960: FDA approves the use of norethyndodrel as an oral contraceptive for women 1962: Ortho Pharmaceutical Corp. enters the oral contraceptive market 1969: Yale University opens one of the first college family planning clinics with access to all students 1971: July 1 – the 26th Amendment is ratified; most states also lower the “age of majority” 1972: The U.S. Supreme Court overturns the Massachusetts law prohibiting the sale of contraceptives to unmarried persons
Regression • Age at First Marriage and State Law Changes in Pill Access • Career and Marital Status Outcomes: Aggregate Cohort Analysis M = α + δ + β1X + β2P + β3A + ԑ δ = Dummy for Year of Birth X = Dummy Variables for Demographics P = Dummy for availability of birth control at age 18 A = Dummy for availability of abortion Y = a + δ + γ1 X + γ 2 P + γ 3 A + u
Key Results • Legalizing the pill is directly related to the increase in the number of women attaining professional degrees and increasing the age of their first marriage. Importance • Pill is not necessarily for demographic change, but important in promoting real change in the economic status of women.