Maternity leave, early maternal employment and child health and development in the US

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Berger, LM; Hill, J; Waldfogel, J
• 署名单位: University of Wisconsin System; University of Wisconsin Madison; Columbia University
• 刊物名称: ECONOMIC JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0013-0133
• DOI: 10.1111/j.0013-0133.2005.00971.x
• 发表日期: 2005
• 页码: F29-F47
• 关键词: Parental leave; propensity score; regression adjustment; UNITED-STATES; BIAS; policies; FAMILY; work; CONSEQUENCES; return

摘要

This paper uses data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth to explore links between mothers' returns to work within 12 weeks of giving birth and health and developmental outcomes for their children. OLS models and propensity score matching methods are utilised to account for selection bias. Considerable associations between early returns to work and children's outcomes are found suggesting causal relationships between early returns to work and reductions in breastfeeding and immunisations, as well as increases in externalising behaviour problems. These results are generally stronger for mothers who return to work full-time within 12 weeks of giving birth.