Two recent studies have revealed that taking leave before and after birth of the baby is beneficial for the health of mother as well as baby.

Study led by Sylvia Guendelman, professor of maternal and child health at UC Berkeley''s School of Public Health studied whether taking maternity leave can affect health outcomes in the United States or not. This study revealed that women who took leave before they gave birth were almost four times less likely to have a primary C-section as women who worked through to delivery.

Another study focused on relationship between maternity leave and breast feeding.

Guendelman said: "The findings suggest that if a woman postpones her return to work, she'll increase her chances of breastfeeding success, especially if she has got a job where she's on the clock and has less discretion with her time."

Guendelman added: "These new studies suggest that making it feasible for more working mothers to take maternity leave both before and after birth is a smart investment."