A new study released during Maternal Health Awareness Month has revealed one in seven women have been directly advised to delay pregnancy or fertility treatment in order to 'protect' their career, with 13% of 16-34 year olds stating this came from a manager or senior colleague. This comes as over a third (39%) of women report a lack of adequate support during pregnancy.

The study, conducted by Superdrug Online Doctor, surveyed 2,000 UK women aged 16 to 55+ to explore how they experience the workplace, and the support they receive around pregnancy, fertility, and reproductive health.

One in 10 women stated that pregnancy-related complications had held them back from career growth and a further 20% said that childcare had been a barrier to their professional development. Whilst 62% agree that their workplace provides adequate support for employees during pregnancy, a quarter are still pushing for improved parental leave policies increasing to 38% of those working in Sales and Marketing.

Fertility struggles added another layer of difficulty for many women, with over half (51%) feeling unsupported after experiencing a miscarriage—an event the NHS estimates affects one in eight pregnancies. Alarmingly, one in seven women reported working through or returning to work within just 24 hours of their loss, highlighting the urgent need for greater compassion and workplace policies that recognise the emotional and physical toll of miscarriage.

placeholder image — A woman holding her pregnant belly

Superdrug Online Doctor spoke to Female Life Coach and Founder of She Almighty, Mikaela Jackson about these findings: “The stats around pregnancy impacting women and their progression are undeniable. Women begin thinking about whether or not they want to have a family way before they decide to try for a baby, sometimes even before they have a partner. This can impact the moves they make in their career, like whether or not to change roles and switch companies for worry of losing maternity benefits. Or, to go for a promotion, or, ask for a pay rise.

"The fact that 15% of women have been directly advised to delay or avoid pregnancy or fertility treatments to ‘protect’ their career progression is perhaps most shocking, along with 26% of women having felt the expectation to do so from their workplace culture.

"Through providing the tailored support that women need, I know that they can experience positive and often game-changing and life-changing results relatively quickly. The challenges women face may be nuanced and deep-seated, but the solutions don’t need to be complicated.”

Although women now have legal protection from discrimination, unfair treatment, and dismissal related to pregnancy or maternity, policies and attitudes in many workplaces haven’t progressed at the same rate as the law. In male-dominated industries like law and engineering, support is particularly lacking, with almost half of the women working in these fields reporting feeling unsupported during pregnancy.

When asked how lack of support impacts women's careers, Mikaela noted: "The women I coach have high ambitions but often overdeliver at the expense of their own health. Organisations must create supportive environments where women can thrive without fear of judgement or burnout."

Workplaces can: