Transformaciones en la distribución semanal de nacimientos. Un análisis temporal 1940-2010 / Transformations in Weekly Birth Distribution. A Temporal Analysis 1940-2010

Abstract

The seasonality of births is an issue that has received much attention in the literature. Empirical evidence has revealed that annual birth distributions have evolved from environmentally-regulated fertility patterns to models that are dominated by socio-cultural factors. This study expands upon this literature by examining the weekly distribution of births and its evolution over the past decades. Using the micro-data of the municipal register files of the Valencian Community (n=3,674,110), we empirically reveal that the current organization of work schedules in the healthcare sector impacts the weekly distribution of births, resulting in the hegemonic position of the medical profession. This has been confirmed by the change in the distribution of births, by days of the week, since the mid-20th century until the present date.