Regardless of the advances in the cause of equal opportunity between the sexes, the fact remains that they have really been quite marginal in changing the division of responsibility. Women are the ones who bear children, thus most of the problems emanating from career interruption affect them.
In addition to the sexism of the premise that men have the right and even the duty to work while women have to fit home duties in between their careers, it could also be financially unwise for women to interrupt their careers. A recent UK researcher has estimated that mothers with average earnings potential lose $70,000 in lifetime earnings by raising two children, and with three children, that figure rises to $85,000.
The societal and governmental barriers which in effect make it so difficult to combine motherhood with career are a means of inflicting cash penalties on becoming a mother and result in a wasteful under-utilization of female resources in the labour market.