Does daddy heal mommy?: paternity leave and maternal postpartum health

Regueiro-Ons, Camila; González López-Valcárcel, Beatriz; Pinilla Domínguez, Jaime

Does daddy heal mommy?: paternity leave and maternal postpartum health

License

Citation

Regueiro-Ons, C, González López-Valcárcel, B, Pinilla Domínguez, J. Does daddy heal mommy?: paternity leave and maternal postpartum health. 2025. handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10230/71915

This citation was generated automatically.

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of paternity leave on maternal postpartum health. Using administrative data and a difference-in-discontinuities design, we compare mothers in households with likely eligible fathers to comparable control groups, accounting for seasonal variation around the implementation cutoffs. The results show limited effects on overall healthcare use and physical health during the first nine months after childbirth. However, we find suggestive evidence of significant improvements in maternal mental health following the most recent expansion of paternity leave. A better labor market attachment seems to be one potential mechanism.