Pregnancy and employment transitions, Australia, 2005

Paid maternity leave was used by one-third (34%) of employed mothers-to-be, according to the first detailed ABS survey on the employment circumstances of women who had a child under two years of age. Paid leave of some sort was taken by just under half (47%) of women working while pregnant. For employed mothers-to-be who returned to work after giving birth, the average break from employment was just under seven months. Pregnancy and Employment Transitions focuses on birth mothers with a natural child living with them who was under two years of age when the mother was interviewed in November 2005. The information collected covers: women\u27s changing hours of work in their job during pregnancy; women\u27s use of paid and unpaid leave associated with pregnancy, the birth of their child and the subsequent caring for the new born child; the length of leave breaks that mothers took in association with their pregnancy and the birth of their child; and the reasons for entering or not entering the workforce following the birth. Details of the work arrangements of the mother\u27s partner, both before and after the birth, were also collected