Paid maternity leave benefits and postpartum leave among full-time working mothers in the U.S

BACKGROUND: American women are combining work and motherhood in increasing numbers. Prior studies have found that returning to work prior to 12 weeks following childbirth is associated with adverse maternal and child health. Maternity leave policies may be effective instruments in facilitating leave-taking and delaying return to work. OBJECTIVES: We examined the association of paid leave benefits at full and partial wage replacement on time to return to work postpartum among full-time working mothers in the U.S. METHODS: Using weighted data from Listening to Mothers II, a nationally representative survey of mothers who gave birth in 2005, we assessed the effect of paid leave on time to return to work for a subsample of 414 full-time working mothers; we adjusted for socioeconomic, demographic, and health characteristics. RESULTS: Paid leave benefits at full and partial wage replacement reduced the probability of returning to work during the first 6 weeks by 49% (aHR: 0.51 [95% CI: 0.32-0.82]) and 36% (aHR: 0.64 [95% CI: 0.41-0.98]), respectively, compared to unpaid leave. Paid leave benefits did not reduce the probability of returning to work after 6 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Paid leave appears to have a positive effect on delaying return to work, specifically inducing a leave floor of at least 6 weeks, which is considered to be the minimum amount of time women need to physically recover from a routine pregnancy. Paid leave may be an effective instrument in improving maternal and child health by allowing working women to invest in themselves and their children.