319 - The Influence of Paternal Perinatal Family Leave on Maternal and Paternal Outcomes: Data from PRAMS for Dads, Georgia

Publication Number: 319.6960

John James Parker, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Lake Bluff, IL, United States; Clarissa Simon, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Craig Garfield, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Evanston, IL, United States

Background: In 2024 the AAP’s Paid Family and Medical Leave policy report highlighted the myriad of benefits of paid family leave. While much attention is on maternal leave, the connection between work leave status for fathers and measures of health and wellbeing in parents is understudied.

Objective: To examine the links between paternal work leave with father’s self-reported health status, father’s depressive symptoms and mother’s depressive symptoms in a linked state-representative sample of mothers and fathers.

Design/Methods: Data are from the maternal Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) and the PRAMS for Dads pilot in the state of Georgia during 2018-2019. Maternal and paternal dyadic data was linked via infant birth certificates. The sample included 266 fathers of which 227 were matched to maternal data. Independent variables are paternal paid leave (any paid leave versus only unpaid or no leave) and leave of at least two weeks compared to less than two weeks. Outcomes were self-reported health status (very good/excellent vs good, fair or poor), paternal depressive symptoms and maternal depressive symptoms. Covariates include paternal age, race, ethnicity, insurance status, education, marital status, delivery type, and gestational age; maternal education and race and ethnicity were added when predicting maternal depression. Multivariable logistic regression models were estimated after data was weighted for sampling design, noncoverage, and nonresponse to be representative of fathers listed in birth records in Georgia.

Results: Among the 240 (92.3%) employed fathers, 120 (53.3%, weighted) took paid leave and 89 (36.5 %) took leave ≥2 weeks (Table 1). After adjusting for covariates, more optimal self-reported health status (excellent/very good versus good, fair or poor) was higher among fathers who took paid leave (aPR=1.42, 95% CI 1.10-1.84) and ≥2 week of leave (aPR=1.32, 95% CI 1.06-1.64) compared to fathers who did not take paid leave or took leave ≤2 weeks (Table 2). No significant associations were found between paternal work leave (paid status or leave length) and maternal or paternal depression symptoms (Table 2).

Conclusion(s): In this novel study of a population representative sample of mothers and fathers in the perinatal period, paternal work leave that was paid and leave ≥2 weeks was associated with improved fathers’ self-reported wellbeing. Family researchers and policy makers concerned with supporting families holistically should focus on programs of family leave, and in particular paid leave, to support fathers and families.

Sample Characteristics By Work Leave Length and Paid Leave Use Among Fathers Who Were Employed While Expecting a Child, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) for Dads, Georgia, USA, 2018-2019
Table 1, PRAMS PAS abstract 2024.pdf

Adjusted Prevalence and Prevalence Ratios for Fathers’ Work Leave and paternal and maternal health outcomes, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) for Dads, Georgia, USA, 2018-2019
Table 2, PAS PRAMS 2024.pdf