Many working women feel they are being pushed out of their jobs when they become pregnant while new fathers often get a boost in their careers, say researchers. The findings, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, confirmed inherent biases against expectant mothers that make them feel unwelcome in the workplace.

This is the first study to show that women who feel pushed out of the workplace choose to opt out, say researchers from Florida State University. "We found that pregnant women experienced decreased career encouragement in the workplace only after they disclosed they were pregnant," said Paustian-Underdahl, Assistant Professor of Management.