abstract: 'Background: Breastfeeding is known to be the best source of nutrition

  for infants. The World Health Organization recommends to exclusively

  breastfeed up to the sixth month of life and to breastfeed with

  complementary foods until the age of 2. It is reported that maternity

  leave (ML) is one of the most important interventions for an extended

  breastfeeding duration. The aim of this review is to synthesize the

  available data worldwide on the association of ML and breastfeeding

  duration. We also intend to provide an overview of whether this

  association is differential by socioeconomic status. Materials and

  Methods: Relevant primary studies relating ML and breastfeeding were

  included by searching several databases, including PubMed, SCielo,

  Health Systems Evidence, Health Evidence, Cochrane Reviews, and

  Epistemonikos. Articles were included up to May 2018. Results: A total

  of 239 relevant articles were identified, of them 21 were included in

  the review based on exposure, outcome, and study design. These studies

  reported that an extended ML might be related to breastfeeding duration.

  In addition, studies reporting data on work type, race, and education

  showed that black women, women in less privileged position, and women

  with less education have less breastfeeding duration. Conclusions: This

  review showed a positive relationship between ML length and

  breastfeeding duration. These results have a homogeneous trend; however,

  this was different when studies reported results on ML and breastfeeding

  stratified by socioeconomic status. Public health policies should ensure

  that all women, especially the most vulnerable, have equal access to the

  benefits that ML provides.'
affiliation: 'Garmendia, ML (Corresponding Author), Univ Chile, Inst Nutr \& Food
  Technol, El Libano 5524, Santiago 7830490, Chile.

  Navarro-Rosenblatt, Deborah, Univ Chile, Sch Publ Hlth, Fac Med, Santiago, Chile.

  Garmendia, Maria-Luisa, Univ Chile, Inst Nutr \& Food Technol, El Libano 5524, Santiago
  7830490, Chile.'
author: Navarro-Rosenblatt, Deborah and Garmendia, Maria-Luisa
author-email: mgarmendia@inta.uchile.cl
author_list:
- family: Navarro-Rosenblatt
  given: Deborah
- family: Garmendia
  given: Maria-Luisa
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1089/bfm.2018.0132
earlyaccessdate: SEP 2018
eissn: 1556-8342
files: []
issn: 1556-8253
journal: BREASTFEEDING MEDICINE
keywords: breastfeeding; maternity leave; socioeconomic status; literature review
keywords-plus: 'WORK; DURATION; HEALTH; RETURN; PREDICTORS; EMPLOYMENT; BARRIERS;

  MOTHERS; LENGTH; TIME'
language: English
month: NOV
number: '9'
number-of-cited-references: '45'
orcid-numbers: 'Garmendia, Maria Luisa/0000-0002-0589-6091

  Navarro-Rosenblatt, Deborah/0000-0001-6752-1327'
pages: 589-597
papis_id: 9abd7b4acb1091747775cacb9326224b
ref: Navarrorosenblatt2018maternityleave
researcherid-numbers: 'Navarro Rosenblatt, Deborah/GPX-9048-2022

  Garmendia, Maria Luisa/H-7417-2013

  '
tags:
- review
times-cited: '41'
title: 'Maternity Leave and Its Impact on Breastfeeding: A Review of the Literature'
type: Review
unique-id: WOS:000445689000001
usage-count-last-180-days: '1'
usage-count-since-2013: '16'
volume: '13'
web-of-science-categories: Obstetrics \& Gynecology; Pediatrics
year: '2018'