Three-quarters of female executives who have had children consider that maternity leave slows down the hierarchical progression of women "for several years" Nearly one in two female executives considers that their return to work was difficult (and even "very difficult" for 14% of women) “Maternity remains generally perceived as a setback in the relationship between a female executive and her employer,” notes Apec. In certain companies, maternity leave is "reduced to a penalizing absence, a problem to be resolved, instead of being considered as a logical and predictable step"