How do reproductive events other than live births shape the timing of a second child?

Fertility research often overlooks reproductive events other than live births, e.g. miscarriages, induced abortions, stillbirths or infertility treatments. This study examines the extent to which the type and timing of such events influence the timing of a second live birth in Czechia. Using register data for women born between 1976 and 1991, Cox proportional hazards models were employed to assess the roles of age, cohort and reproductive experience. Events following a first live birth are generally linked to the postponement of a second live birth. In contrast, events that occur before a first live birth may act to accelerate the transition to a second live birth, especially within a short time of the first birth, thus suggesting the catch-up effect. The impact of induced abortion differs according to the reason, with the effect of an abortion for medical reasons on the birth interval resembling the effect of a miscarriage. These findings highlight the importance of including non-live birth reproductive events in fertility research to improve the understanding of how women navigate their reproductive trajectories.