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Paid family leave and parental investments in infant health: Evidence from California

Author

Listed:
  • Pac, Jessica
  • Bartel, Ann
  • Ruhm, Christopher
  • Waldfogel, Jane

Abstract

This paper evaluates the effect of Paid Family Leave (PFL) on breastfeeding and immunizations– two critical parental investments in infant health – which we identify using California’s 2004 PFL policy that ensured mothers up to six weeks of leave at a 55% wage replacement rate. We employ difference-in-difference and difference-in-difference-in-differences models for a large, representative sample of children (N = 314,532) born between 2000 and 2013 drawn from the restricted-use versions of the 2003–2014 National Immunization Surveys. Our most conservative estimates indicate that access to PFL is associated with at least a 15% increase in breastfeeding exclusively for at least six months. We find substantially large effects for disadvantaged mothers, adding to the existing evidence that access to state-sanctioned paid family leave might benefit children overall and disadvantaged children in particular.

Suggested Citation

  • Pac, Jessica & Bartel, Ann & Ruhm, Christopher & Waldfogel, Jane, 2023. "Paid family leave and parental investments in infant health: Evidence from California," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ehbiol:v:51:y:2023:i:c:s1570677x23000898
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2023.101308
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Paid family leave; Maternity leave; Child health; Parental investments; Breastfeeding; Vaccines; Immunizations;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J18 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Public Policy

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