New measures to ensure healthy, flexible and safe workplaces for women will be announced on Thursday.

The moves will be particularly aimed at pregnant women and new mothers with a view to maximising their potential and promoting Scotland's wider economic growth.

Cabinet secretary for fair work Roseanne Cunningham will unveil the proposals on Thursday in Edinburgh.

She said: "Sadly in 2016, negative consequences of being pregnant or a new mother while working remain frustratingly common. This is unacceptable in a modern Scotland and does not sit well in a fair and equitable society.

"Discrimination during pregnancy or following birth has the potential to set patterns that persist for the rest of a woman's working life and we need to ensure it is stopped.

"Recent female employment figures have been strong, particularly when compared to the rest of Europe, and we are making progress on the 5050 by 2020 pledge, with a number of organisations signing up.

"The latest figures also show a drop of 1.8 percentage points in the gender pay gap over the year, so progress is being made. However we must keep highlighting that motherhood does not detract from a worker's productivity or value."

Sarah Jackson, CEO of Working Families and chair of the Family Friendly Working Scotland Steering Group added: "Too many women contact our free legal advice service each year because they have been subject to discrimination during pregnancy, maternity or on their return to work. This short changes families and short changes the economy.

"Family Friendly Working Scotland was established to support and promote family friendly workplaces. We therefore welcome today's announcement by the Scottish Government of new measures to help pregnant women and new mothers in the workplace.

"Employers across Scotland must now positively engage with these measures - to better support the parents they employ through their pregnancy, maternity and paternity leave and their return to work, as well as enabling them to balance their work and caring responsibilities in the longer term."