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Changes in maternity leave coverage: Implications for fertility, labour force participation and child mortality

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  • Ahmed, Salma
  • Fielding, David

Abstract

Analysing macro-panel data from 18 African and Asian countries over the period 1995–2016, this article investigates the effects of the level and duration of paid maternity leave on three dimensions of human development: fertility, female formal-sector employment and infant mortality. There is some evidence that, on average, extending the duration of leave leads to reductions in infant mortality and employment. However, there is no conclusive evidence that leave duration has a direct effect on fertility. In contrast, there is some evidence that higher maternity leave payments lead to higher fertility, but no evidence that payment levels have any effect on infant mortality or employment.

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  • Ahmed, Salma & Fielding, David, 2019. "Changes in maternity leave coverage: Implications for fertility, labour force participation and child mortality," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:241:y:2019:i:c:s0277953619305672
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112573
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    Cited by:

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    2. Aslim, Erkmen Giray & Panovska, Irina & Taş, M. Anıl, 2021. "Macroeconomic effects of maternity leave legislation in emerging economies," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    3. Cecilia Machado & Valdemar Neto & Christiane Szerman, 2023. "Firm and Worker Responses to Extensions in Paid Maternity Leave," CESifo Working Paper Series 10736, CESifo.
    4. Machado, Cecilia & Neto, Valdemar & Szerman, Christiane, 2023. "Firm and Worker Responses to Extensions in Paid Maternity Leave," IZA Discussion Papers 16555, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Deborah Karasek & Sarah Raifman & William H. Dow & Rita Hamad & Julia M. Goodman, 2022. "Evaluating the Effect of San Francisco’s Paid Parental Leave Ordinance on Birth Outcomes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-12, September.

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