RETURNING TO WORK AFTER CHILDBIRTH - OPPORTUNITIES AND INEQUALITIES

Data from a national survey of new mothers are used to examine class a nd labour market differences in women's labour market opportunities af ter childbirth. Women's labour market intentions during pregnancy are brought into the analysis in order to examine class and labour market effects on securing a desired outcome. Substantially unequal rates of returning to work are shown to exist and to have persisted over the la st decade among women with occupations in different social classes. Ex amining the relationship between women's employment intentions during pregnancy and their labour market outcomes after childbirth confirmed the importance of class position. One implication of the research is t hat there is likely to be increased polarization of advantage and disa dvantage among women in the labour market, and among families in gener al.