271318 Paid maternity leave benefits and postpartum leave among full-time working mothers in the U.S

Sunday, October 28, 2012

David Cao, MPH , School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Maureen Lahiff, PhD , School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Sylvia Guendelman, PhD, LCSW , School of Public Health, University of Carlifornia Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
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.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Session participants will be able to 1) describe the potential maternal and child health benefits of leave-taking and delaying return to work for working mothers; and 2) describe the potential effect of paid leave benefits on duration of postpartum leave.

Keywords: Maternal Health, Public Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I received my MPH in Maternal and Child Health and my research interests during my graduate studies centered primarily on family leave and accommodation policies.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.