Rethinking the Motherhood Penalty: Occupational Stratification, Spousal Pairings, and Women's Occupational Trajectories in China

Objective This study examines how parenthood influences women's occupational status in China and how spousal occupational pairings shape motherhood penalties across occupational groups. Background Existing studies on the motherhood penalty have predominantly focused on wage outcomes, providing limited insight into how motherhood affects women's occupational status, particularly in labor markets where employment extends beyond stable wage work. In addition, research has paid relatively little attention to how women's occupational trajectories are shaped by their occupational positions and the dynamics within the couple. Method This study analyzed a nationally representative longitudinal sample of 6814 married women of reproductive age (15–49) in China, drawing on data from the China Family Panel Studies (2012–2022), yielding 19,091 person‐years of observation. Fixed‐effects regression models were estimated to examine within‐individual changes in occupational status associated with parenthood and to test how these effects are conditioned by spousal occupational pairings. Results The motherhood penalty on occupational status varies substantially across occupational groups. High‐status women experience the largest occupational status penalties, particularly when married to low‐status husbands. Middle‐status women face modest but statistically nonsignificant penalties. Low‐status women experience upward shifts in occupational status. Spousal occupational resources attenuate but do not eliminate the penalty, even among the most advantaged couples. Conclusion The motherhood penalty is both occupationally stratified and relationally embedded. Policies should address the distinct constraints faced by mothers at different occupational positions by reducing workplace rigidity for high‐status women and extending social protections and childcare access for low‐status women.