Maternity Leave and Child Health: Evidence from the UK’s Millennium Cohort Study

Sakiko Tanaka, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

Using data on 11,686, 8-12 month old babies from the Millennium Cohort Study in the UK, this paper examines the determinants of mother’s leave-taking, the effects of pre-birth leave-taking on prenatal care and low birth weight, and the effects of post-birth leave-taking on breast-feeding. The study found that mothers’ pre-birth leave has significant effects on increasing prenatal care receipt and reducing the occurrence of low birth weight. Mothers who took leave or ceased working at least three weeks prior to childbirth were more likely to receive prenatal care and less likely to have children born with low birth weight. Moreover, the results suggest that longer length of mothers’ post-birth leave increases their chances for and duration of breast-feeding. These results predict longer periods of both pre- and post-birth leave will improve children’s health.