Maternity leave: An essential investment in women's health, family well-being, and economic progress

By providing adequate maternity leave, we can help ensure that new mothers are able to recover, bond with their newborns, and return to work with the support they need to succeed. [iStockphoto]

It's time for governments and employers to recognize the importance of maternity leave and take action to increase it. This can be done in a number of ways, including mandating paid leave for all new mothers, extending the length of leave, and providing additional support for working mothers.

Critics of increased maternity leave often argue that it is too expensive for businesses and will hurt the economy. However, this is simply not true. In fact, studies have shown that paid family leave programs can have a positive impact on businesses, reducing turnover rates and increasing productivity.

Adequate paid maternity leave benefits both mothers' and children's mental and physical health, according to a study published in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry. The advantages include reduced postpartum depression and mother and infant re-hospitalisations, as well as improved infant attachment.

Key findings among the studies in the review include the following:

• Significantly higher scores for maternal depression and increased diagnoses of major depressive disorder among women who took fewer than 12 weeks of paid leave.
• An increased risk of postpartum depression among women who took less than six months of maternity leave in general (paid or unpaid).
• A 58 per cent lower chance of reporting physical and psychological intimate partner violence in the year following birth for women who took paid maternity leave compared with those who were not working or were not eligible for paid leave.
• A 51 per cent lower chance of being re-hospitalised in the year after birth among women who took a paid leave of any duration.
• A 46 per cent reduced likelihood of infant re-hospitalisation in the first year among infants born to mothers who took paid leave compared with those whose mothers took no leave or unpaid leave.

Ultimately, the need to increase maternity leave is not just about supporting new mothers and their families; it's about creating a more equitable society that values the well-being of all its members.

By providing adequate maternity leave, we can help ensure that new mothers are able to recover, bond with their newborns, and return to work with the support they need to succeed. It's time for governments and employers to take action and make this a reality for all new mothers.

The writer, Sanam Dadhiala, is an Account Manager at Edelman Africa.