If men do more housework, do their wives have more babies?

We analyze data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey waves 1-6, to investigate whether the housework and childcare contributions of coupled Australian men with one child affect the likelihood that their wives will have a second child. We find no evidence that the way housework or childcare is shared has an effect, nor that the amount of men s contribution to housework or childcare has an effect. In addition, the effect of men s housework and childcare time on fertility does not appear to be mediated through its effect on their wives housework and childcare.