American Economic Journal:
Economic Policy
ISSN 1945-7731 (Print) | ISSN 1945-774X (Online)
The Impact of Paid Maternity Leave on Maternal Health
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
vol. 13,
no. 1, February 2021
(pp. 67–105)
Abstract
We examine the impact of the introduction of paid maternity leave in Norway in 1977 on maternal health in the medium and long term. Using administrative data combined with survey data on the health of women around age 40, we find the reform improved a range of maternal health outcomes, including BMI, blood pressure, pain, and mental health. The reform also increased health-promoting behaviors, such as exercise and not smoking. The effects were larger for first-time and low-resource mothers and women who would have taken little unpaid leave in the absence of the reform.Citation
Bütikofer, Aline, Julie Riise, and Meghan M. Skira. 2021. "The Impact of Paid Maternity Leave on Maternal Health." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 13 (1): 67–105. DOI: 10.1257/pol.20190022Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- I12 Health Behavior
- J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
- J32 Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits; Retirement Plans; Private Pensions
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