This most recent research backs up the findings of several other studies that highlight how women’s careers are affected by motherhood. One Danish study published in January this year concluded that “most of the remaining gender inequality in earnings is due to children”, and that having children ultimately led to a gender earning gap of around 20%.

In January, meanwhile, a report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation showed that women who work part-time in the UK after having children can expect to earn significantly less than their male counterparts in the long run. By the time their first child is 20, researchers said, mothers will earn almost a third less per hour on average than fathers with similar levels of education.

So what’s the solution? In a wide-ranging review of the motherhood pay gap published in 2015, academics Damian Grimshaw and Jill Rubery – professors at the Alliance Manchester Business School at the University of Manchester – proposed several policies that could be adopted to help mothers preserve successful careers.

These included adequate parental leave for both women and men, with specific provision for fathers; accessible, affordable and high-quality childcare; flexible working arrangements; the elimination of maternity discrimination; and creating a family-friendly workplace culture.

One thing is clear: the gender pay gap won’t close unless a concerted effort is made to keep mothers in the workforce.

Images: Colin Maynard / Unsplash / Daria Shevtsova / Pexels / Getty Images

Women who have babies in this 10-year period earn less than their husbands