THE TRANSITION TO THE FIRST BIRTH IN FOUR EUROPEAN METROPOLISES

A fertility decline and a childbearing postponement appear to be common features of contemporary fertility changes in Europe. In the be ginning of the 21st century European fertility was at its lowest level since the Second World War. An early childbearing pattern is being replaced by a late pattern, however, that pro cess is visibly less advanced in Central and Eastern Europe. Furthermore, despite common trends low fertility and delayed parenthood cross-country differences in both fertility levels and its postponement are observed. Among many comprehensive explanations of these fertility developments changing women’s social and economic positions are considered highly relevant. They are related inter alia to their increasing access to education and employm ent. Since in parallel the labour market in European countries has been deeply transf ormed, especially in the recent two decades, the labour market is becoming increasingly accounted for in studies on fertility and family changes. Difficulties experienced by young persons to develop their professional careers and to stabilise their labour market positi on, mostly due to labour market instability, economic uncertainty and job precariousness, are po inted out important determinants of the transition to parenthood.