Does extending the duration of legislated paid maternity leave improve breastfeeding practices? Evidence from 38 low-income and middle-income countries

摘要

IntroductionAmong all barriers to breastfeeding, the need to work has been cited as one of the top reasons for not breastfeeding overall and for early weaning among mothers who seek to breastfeed. We aimed to examine whether extending the duration of paid maternity leave available to new mothers affected early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding under 6  months and breastfeeding duration in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).