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Women's postpartum maternity benefits and work experience

D K Gjerdingen1, P M McGovern, K M Chaloner

  • 1Department of Family Practice and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.

Family Medicine
|October 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

New mothers returning to work often face dissatisfaction with maternity leave policies and experience health issues. Shorter leave durations and challenges with childcare arrangements are significant concerns for working mothers.

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Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Health
  • Occupational Health
  • Sociology of Work

Background:

  • Maternity leave policies and their implementation significantly impact women's postpartum work experiences.
  • Understanding women's perceptions of maternity leave benefits is crucial for supporting their return to work.
  • Factors influencing the decision to return to work after childbirth require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe women's perceptions of maternity leave policies and benefits.
  • To examine postpartum work experiences and factors related to returning to work.
  • To identify challenges faced by new mothers merging work and parenting roles.

Main Methods:

  • A survey was administered to 436 married, recently employed, first-time mothers.

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  • Data collection occurred at multiple postpartum intervals: 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months.
  • The survey assessed perceptions of maternity leave, postpartum work experiences, and childcare arrangements.

    • Main Results:

    • While most women had understandable maternity leave policies, satisfaction was low, with an average leave of 11.1 weeks versus an ideal of 8 months.
    • Only 25.5% could work part-time, and 35.8% could use personal days for infant care, leading to significant distress over childcare.
    • Returning to work was associated with increased respiratory, gynecologic, and breast symptoms compared to women who stayed home.

    Conclusions:

    • Return to work post-delivery is influenced by demographic, occupational, and social factors, and is linked to health issues and childcare concerns.
    • Maternity leave benefits are a critical factor in facilitating the integration of work and parenting for the majority of new mothers.
    • Further research is needed to understand and improve the postpartum work experience for mothers.