There's a lively discussion going on at Confessions of a Community College Dean about whether a woman should look for an academic job while pregnant. The dean recommends getting pregnant when it fits best with the rest of your life, regardless of whether you fear being discriminated against during the interview process (although he does remind search committees that such discrimination is illegal).
But the head of a search committee who comments on the post wonders whether it's possible not to hold a job candidate's pregnancy -- and her probable upcoming request for maternity leave -- against her. Another agrees that is the reality, saying: "Being visibly pregnant will surely hurt your chances. Being visibly pregnant and asking about leave, benefits, etc. will make things even worse."
