Unmasking pregnancy discrimination in Mexico: a longitudinal analysis of a national survey

Abstract

This article examines pregnancy discrimination in the workplace in Mexico using a population-based sample, the National Survey on the Dynamics of Household Relationships (ENDIREH, initials in Spanish). The prevalence of this type of discrimination, its associated factors and its evolution over a recent 10-year period (2011?2021) are analyzed using the 2016 and 2021 sets of survey data. Despite having a regulatory framework that protects women's rights, pregnancy discrimination persists in various labor sectors, such as factories and the public sector. Our study reveals that overtly (or admittedly) pregnant women, and those suspected of being or becoming pregnant, face challenges in the workplace (before, during and after pregnancy), reflecting deeply ingrained and normalized gender inequalities.