The Impact of Economic Factors on Reproductive Behavior in Regions Outside Prague in the Czech Republic in 2009–2019

This bachelor’s thesis analyzes selected economic determinants of reproductive behavior among the population in regions of the Czech Republic outside of Prague during the years 2009–2019. The aim of the thesis was to determine whether and how the variables of wages, housing costs, parental support, the real estate price index, the inflation rate, and the unemployment rate influence the reproductive behavior of the population. Based on the results of the linear model diagnostics, a fixed-effects model was applied to the panel data. To eliminate multicollinearity and nonstationarity, the data were transformed into firstdifferences. Given the biological nature of reproduction and the duration of pregnancy, all explanatory variables were modeled with a one-year lag, and the model was estimated using robust standard errors that account for residual autocorrelation. The analysis confirmed a statistically significant effect of most of the economic factors examined on total fertility. The results suggest that wage growth and rising inflation are associated with a decline in fertility. In contrast, housing costs showed the opposite trend, with their increase accompanying a rise in fertility. The impact of parental support and the unemployment rate did not prove to be statistically significant during the period in question. The findings of this study highlight the crucial importance of economic stability and the affordability of housing for demographic reproduction.