• Rinki singh
• Dr.Alaknanda Rajawat

Pregnancy is an important phase in the life of an employed woman and requires adequate legal, social, and institutional protection to safeguard her health, dignity, and employment. Despite constitutional guarantees and statutory protections in India, pregnant women continue to face challenges such as workplace discrimination, job insecurity, denial or inadequate implementation of maternity benefits, unequal treatment, excessive workload, lack of suitable facilities, and difficulties in balancing work and family responsibilities. This article examines these challenges from a legal perspective, with particular emphasis on the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, as amended in 2017, and relevant constitutional and labour laws. It also analyses the gap between legal provisions and their practical implementation, particularly in relation to awareness, discrimination, gender pay inequality, and social and cultural barriers. The study argues that statutory protection alone is insufficient without effective enforcement, workplace flexibility, institutional accountability, and gender-sensitive policies. Effective implementation of maternity laws is therefore essential to ensure equality, dignity, health, job security, and economic participation of employed women in India.

Employed women, Workplace, Pregnancy, Gender pay gap, Awareness, Challenges

"Pregnancy and Workplace Challenges Faced by Employed Women in India: A Legal Perspective", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 9, page no.a361-a366, September-2026, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2609041.pdf

"Pregnancy and Workplace Challenges Faced by Employed Women in India: A Legal Perspective", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 9, page no. ppa361-a366, September-2026, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2609041.pdf