Paid maternity and parental leave has multiple proven health benefits for both parents and infants, including improved maternal mental health, decreased intimate partner violence, decreased infant mortality, increased infant vaccination compliance, decreased risk of rehospitalization for both mothers and infants, improved parental–infant attachment, and increased initiation and duration of breastfeeding.1,2 Longer paid childbirth and parental leave are also important for job satisfaction and wellness.3,4 Despite this, the United States is the only country among the 43 members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development without a national paid maternity or family leave policy.1,2 Recent attempts to guarantee 12 weeks of paid leave after welcoming a new child by birth, adoption, or foster care failed in Congress, despite lobbying from the American Academy of Pediatrics and other advocates. The current status quo leaves many American working families without guaranteed paid leave....
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July 2022
