Code for: The Impact of Paid Maternity Leave on Maternal Health

We examine the impact of the introduction of paid maternity leave in Norway in 1977 on maternal health in the medium- and long-term. Using administrative data combined with survey data on the health of women around age 40, we find the reform improved a range of maternal health outcomes, including BMI, blood pressure, pain, and mental health. The reform also increased health-promoting behaviors, such as exercise and not smoking. The effects were larger for first-time and low-resource mothers and women who would have taken little unpaid leave in the absence of the reform.