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Drexel review links paid family leave to better maternal and infant outcomes; Connecticut program shows strong partner take-up
Summary
A Drexel University literature review discussed on the Connecticut Paid Leave podcast finds paid family leave is associated with higher birth weight, fewer premature births, reduced postpartum depression and longer breastfeeding; Connecticut’s program has seen 44% partner take-up and allows flexible timing of bonding leave.
Nancy Barrow, host of the Paid Leave Podcast, interviewed Natalie Schock, associate director of communications and administration at the Center for Hunger Free Communities, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, about the Drexel literature review "Making the Case for Paid Family Leave." Schock told listeners the team conducted a multidisciplinary literature review of public-health and economic studies and supplemented that evidence with local lived-experience vignettes from Philadelphia.
The review, Schock said, finds paid leave is associated with measurable short‑term benefits for newborns and mothers: higher birth weights, fewer premature births and lower infant mortality. "For folks who had access to paid leave, children had higher birth weight," Schock said, and studies also linked paid leave with longer breastfeeding once parents took time off. She added the benefits are often strongest among lower‑income families, who are least likely to have paid time off otherwise.
On maternal outcomes, Schock said taking the recommended recovery time is important: "Postpartum depression reduced by, like, 15 percent when mothers took 12 weeks of time off versus just eight weeks," she said, citing aggregated study findings. She described reduced postpartum rehospitalization and lower long‑term risks for conditions such as hypertension and diabetes among parents who took adequate leave.
Barrow noted a Connecticut program usage statistic: "We’re finding that 44 percent of partners are taking the time off to bond with their babies," she said. Schock said male partners' take‑up nationally has lagged in many places, often because of stigma or lack of awareness, and that outreach and program design affect uptake.
Barrow and Schock highlighted a Connecticut policy design that adds flexibility: bonding leave months can be taken at any point in the child's first year rather than only immediately after birth, which can help families stagger caregiving responsibilities. The episode closed with a reminder that Connecticut residents can apply for benefits at ctpaidleave.org.
The podcast relied on Drexel's literature review and cited state program practices; no formal vote or policy change occurred during the episode.
