全球智库信息集成服务系统

Breastfeeding initiation and length is linked to maternity leave policies.

• Evidence shows a positive link between extending breastfeeding to six months and beyond and improved health benefits for infants and mothers. The length (six months or more) and mode of breastfeeding (especially when exclusive) are crucial in increasing the benefits of breastfeeding.
• Evidence has also found that breastfeeding initiation and duration is related to the characteristics of maternity leave policies (e.g. length, level of pay). Longer duration of maternity leave is linked to longer breastfeeding.

More research is needed on the economic impact of extending maternity leave.

• A key issue with extending maternity leave for the benefits of infants' health is that this is potentially at odds with mothers' career prospects. However, the quality of the evidence on the economic implications of extending maternity leave to six months is rather weak, and needs more analysis.

Evidence on the impact of maternity leave is mixed.

• Six months of leave is associated with a dip in wages for mothers taking leave, although evidence on the size of this dip is mixed.
• Businesses may also incur costs in relation to productivity and replacing workers on maternity leave, which may directly or indirectly be passed on to female workers. However, existing research suggests that extending maternity leave has a positive effect on women's employment rates: leave periods between 14–26 weeks are associated with a 4.3% increase in the predicted female employment-to-participation ratio.