Child care costs and the return-to-work decisions of new mothers
Women's labor force participation has nearly doubled in the past 50 years. The increase has
been even more dramatic for women with young children, and recent reforms to welfare
programs are likely to push the participation rate for this segment even higher. This article
examines the economic determinants of a woman's decision to return to work quickly
following childbirth, looking in particular at sensitivity to child care costs.