The EOC's investigation has uncovered the startling impact of pregnancy discrimination with more than seven in ten pregnant women treated unfairly at work who are suffering in silence.

Our Pregnant and Productive campaign is calling for an end to this discrimination. Women sacked for being pregnant are losing out on £12m in statutory maternity pay every year and replacing these women costs employers £126m a year. Those who have been unfairly treated are far less likely to return to their old jobs, causing long-term damage to Britain's economic productivity.

The investigation has exposed an unprecedented desire to find a solution from all quarters - human resources professionals, employers large and small, trade unions, as well as women and their families.

Olympic gold medal athelete Denise Lewis is backing the campaign having suffered first hand from discrimination whilst pregnant. "Women should not suffer at work for just being pregnant. I would urge everyone to get behind the 'Pregnant and Productive' campaign and pledge their support."

An update on our investigation and campaign

We launched a GB-wide investigation into this issue in September 2003, because of the high volume of calls to the EOC helpline about problems at work during pregnancy and maternity and the large number of pregnancy-related employment tribunal claims. The final report of the EOC's investigation has uncovered the startling impact of pregnancy discrimination including that More than seven in ten pregnant women treated unfairly at work are suffering in silence. 30,000 women each year lose their jobs because of their pregnancy. Only 3% of those who experience a problem lodge a claim at an employment tribunal. Unless the current situation changes, one million pregnant women are likely to experience discrimination at work over the next five years.

The EOC's investigation found that the key causes of pregnancy discrimination were:

* A lack of knowledge and understanding of maternity rights

* Lack of dialogue and planning

* Costs

* Negative attitudes towards pregnancy and maternity

Our campaign aims to build support for action to be taken so that pregnancy can be managed more constructively in the workplace. Our campaign pages invite anyone concerned about the issue to pledge their support, visitors can also post their comments on the issue, take part in the pregnancy test and keep up to date on all the campaign news.

In September of last year the interim report of the EOC's was published. 'Tip of the Iceberg' is still available to download. The report examines how the responsibilities, costs and benefits of pregnancy are currently shared between employers, the state and individual women and their families.

The findings from the report recommend that the law needs to be clearer and easily accessible and that both families and employers require more support. The EOC has taken into account women's need to be able to combine work, motherhood and practical difficulties faced by employers in managing pregnancy in the workplace. We also recognise the active role fathers take in looking after their children.

* EOC Wales have published their own report on pregnancy discrimination called 'Time to Deliver, Putting an end to pregnancy discrimination in Wales'.

* Advice on your pregnancy and maternity rights

* Advice on pregnancy and maternity rights for legal advisers

* Advice on pregnancy and maternity rights for employers

* Pregnancy and maternity: guidance for managers and supervisors - pdf