Wait a minute here. Childbirth is very risky for some women, especially if they are not wealthy and white, and it is traumatic for other women as well. For many, it necessitates leaving the workforce and risking being dependent upon a spouse. This can severely impact a woman's ability to earn money to live later on and in retirement. If the spouse leaves, she may have little traction in ever gaining a decent-earning career to build retirement and can easily fall into poverty.