How big is the 'motherhood penalty'? In Denmark, it adds up to $120,000

"According to a study published in November in the European Sociological Review, mothers in Denmark lost, on average, a cumulative US$120,000 in income in the two decades after the birth of their first child, compared with women who had not had children. Government assistance, including paid maternity leave, child allowances and housing benefits, helped to bridge 80% of this gap."

"Numerous studies have shown that, around the world, women are professionally and economically penalized if they have children. This is sometimes called the ' motherhood penalty '. After having children, women experience a fall in income. Mothers receive lower starting salaries than men or women without children do, and are less likely to be promoted. Moreover, in many countries, including the United States, not all parents receive paid time off to care for their children."

"In the United Kingdom, a 2025 study drawing on census data found that mothers lost, on average, £65,618 (US$89,400) over the five years after the birth of their first child. In China, mothers' wages decreased by 14% after they had their first child, and, if they had more children, this penalty grew with each child."

Analyses of data from over 100,000 people show substantial income losses for mothers. In Denmark, mothers lost a cumulative average of US$120,000 in the two decades after their first child, while government programs — paid maternity leave, child allowances and housing benefits — offset about 80% of that loss. The motherhood penalty includes lower starting salaries, fewer promotions and persistent wage declines after childbirth. Cross-country examples show mothers in the UK lost £65,618 over five years, and Chinese mothers experienced a 14% wage drop that increased with additional children. Research questions remain about the duration and limits of policy compensation.

Read at Nature