Fertility in European countries has been at a low level for a long time, leading to demographic aging, accompanied by economic challenges. The decline in fertility has traditionally been associated with economic development and the increase in women's employment. However, recent research suggests that in developed countries there have been changes in these relationships and today, when the employment rate of women is higher than it was before, many women prefer to be able to combine motherhood and career. However, there are differences between countries in how compatible women's employment is with family life, which depends, among other things, on public policies and fathers' participation in childcare and household chores. The main goal of the thesis is to investigate the factors of low fertility in European countries, with an emphasis on the socioeconomic status of women. The paper describes trends in fertility and discusses the literature on determinants of fertility in developed countries. Using data from relevant databases such as EUROSTAT, the factors associated with the level of fertility in European countries that have been identified through a literature review are empirically tested. The results of the analysis suggest that the total fertility rate is positively related to the employment rates of women, the share of men participating in household chores and expenditures for family and children, but it is an interesting finding that these correlations change over time. The discussion compares the obtained results with other research and considers their importance for public policies aimed at raising low fertility.