More than half of working mothers, regardless of income, believe that being a working mom has held them back in their careers, a new study from the University of Phoenix Career Institute and Motherly found.

"Motherhood presents unique, significant challenges to the career journey," said Ruth Veloria, chief strategy and customer officer for the university. "The moment a mother leaves the workplace, her 'second shift' begins — a shift whose pandemic-fueled overlap with the professional workday remains, for many, still a fresh trauma. Economic barriers compound such challenges by adding external pressures, like finances and child care costs."