Maternity Leave: Where Benefit Coordination and Coverage Really Matter

By Glenn Pransky, MD, Scientific Consultant, Lincoln Financial Group

Maternity leave is the most common reason for short-term disability (STD) absence. More than 70% of U.S. working women take at least one maternity leave, and in addition to time off for recovery, some new mothers face unexpected challenges. That’s when coordinated benefits with broader coverage can be especially important for maternal and child health, financial well-being, and enabling return to work.

Extra Challenges = Additional Recovery

Although serious, life-threatening pregnancy complications are rare, those that delay maternal recovery or require extended newborn care affect more than 21% of all pregnancies.  A third of all births require caesarean section, a major abdominal operation that can take weeks for full recovery.  One in seven new mothers develop significant postpartum depression that requires treatment,¹ and the addition of another person to a family can be stressful and lead to emotional challenges.

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