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Bonus of the leave: the impact of maternity leave extension on children's health in China

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  • Mao, Ailin
  • Fu, Yu
  • Li, Xiaoman

Abstract

Maternity leave is considered an important policy measure to protect working women, yet its intergenerational health effect in developing countries like China has not been formally and comprehensively assessed to guide public health policies in this area. This study aims to examine the impact of maternity leave extensions on children's health outcomes by evaluating the 2012 maternity leave extension policy in China. We develop pooled cross-section data with a total sample pool of 5745 from the China Family Panel Studies. We use a cohort difference-in-differences approach to investigate the impact of maternity leave extension on children's health outcomes in terms of height and weight using Height for Age Z-scores (HAZ) and Weight for Age Z-scores (WAZ). Our results suggest that when mothers enjoy the maternity leave extension, their children's HAZ and WAZ improve 0.122 and 0.075 standard deviations, respectively. In addition, we examine three potential mechanisms by which this association may be mediated by breastfeeding duration, parent-child interaction, and per capita household medical expenditures. Further test illustrates that the beneficial of this extension policy can be strengthened for children with their mothers as primary caregivers in adolescence, reverifying the essential mechanism of parental involvement. Our study finds evidence that maternity leave not only protects children around the period of childbirth but may also contribute to their health in later life. Together with research in international contexts, these findings highlight the need to consider policies and incentives designed to increase women's access to paid maternity leave and address issues of equity.

Suggested Citation

  • Mao, Ailin & Fu, Yu & Li, Xiaoman, 2025. "Bonus of the leave: the impact of maternity leave extension on children's health in China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 387(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:387:y:2025:i:c:s0277953625010226
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2025.118691
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