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By Robert Preidt
HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Oct. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) – Paid leave for new mothers can increase breastfeeding rates, but mostly among high-income women, according to a new study.
The United States is the only developed country that does not offer paid leave to new parents at the national level. But four states now offer paid leave and the study has focused on two of the first to do so. California and New Jersey each introduced six weeks of partially paid leave for new parents in 2004 and 2009, respectively.
California pays up to 55% of a parent 's salary, while New Jersey covers 67% of a parent' s salary.
Researchers at the University of California at San Francisco analyzed data from both states and found that paid family leave increased breastfeeding rates, but it was mostly among high-income women who could afford to be away from work longer.
"Our findings suggest that women in legally paid countries are leaving moderately prolonged breastfeeding during early childhood, which is a vital window for development," said first author of the study, Rita Hamad. . She is an Assistant Professor of Family and Community Medicine at UCSF.
"It should be noted that we are observing breastfeeding changes, especially among women of higher social status, a group that is probably more likely to benefit from partially paid leave," Hamad said in a press release. published by the university.
"These policies provide new parents with only a fraction of their usual salary, so low-income parents are less likely to be absent," she said.
"Providing fully paid leave could give low-income mothers and fathers the support they need to support newborns," added Hamad.
Two other states introduced paid family leave, including Rhode Island (2014) and New York (2018).
The study was published on 25 October in the American Journal of Public Health.
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