Does the Length of Maternity Leave Affect Maternal Health?

43 Pages Posted: 15 Jan 2004 Last revised: 15 Apr 2024

See all articles by Pinka Chatterji

Pinka Chatterji

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); State University of New York (SUNY) - Department of Economics

Sara Markowitz

Emory University; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Date Written: January 2004

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of the length of maternity leave on maternal health in a sample of working mothers. Two measures of depression and a measure of overall health are used to represent maternal health. Ordinary Least Squares models provide baseline estimates, and instrumental variables models account for the potential endogeneity of the return-to-work decision. The findings suggest that returning to work later may reduce the number or frequency of depressive symptoms, but the length of time before returning to work is not associated with a lower probability of being a likely case of clinical depression. Similarly, there is little evidence that longer maternity leave impacts physical and mental health as measured by frequent outpatient visits during the first six months after childbirth.

Suggested Citation

Chatterji, Pinka and Markowitz, Sara, Does the Length of Maternity Leave Affect Maternal Health? (January 2004). NBER Working Paper No. w10206, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=486210

Pinka Chatterji (Contact Author)

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State University of New York (SUNY) - Department of Economics ( email )

Sara Markowitz

Emory University ( email )

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