A survey of approximately 3,000 working parents shows that around half of working women who become parents take time off from work beyond maternity leave. Generally, women leave the workforce for two years after birth. Women studied have stated that the inaccessibility of reliable, affordable childcare is a barrier to their return to the workforce and career advancement. Childcare is incredibly expensive, and is generally the second largest monthly expense. In Iowa, communities and government officials are working together to come up with solutions for families to ensure that children receive high-quality care. The solutions that Iowa firms came up with include allowing infants to come to work and more flexible hours for all employees.
See "Childcare as a barrier to career advancement for women ", Christine Michel Carter, Forbes , March 12, 2020