A number of interesting studies are starting to surface with respect to how men and women enter, stay and leave the workforce. For example, it seems that the more economic freedom women have within a culture, the more likely they are to gravitate to fields that are less STEM-related. A number of studies also show the dramatic impact that childbirth and childrearing have on women's careers and career choices.
A very recent paper published here discusses the difference between women who graduate from elite academic institutions and those who do not in terms of employment choices. The data reflected in this study shows that women with an elite academic background remain employed at approximately the same rates as their counterparts from less esteemed institutions until they have children. "… The presence of children is associated with far lower labor market activity among married elite graduates." This is true even though elite graduates are much more likely to earn advanced degrees, marry at later ages, and have higher expected earnings. Interestingly enough, the largest gap in labor market activity is between elite and less selective female graduates with MBAs--married mothers who are graduates of elite institutions are 30 percentage points less likely to be employed full-time than graduates of less selective institutions.
UPDATE: Here's an article referencing a Duke study on the effects of "leaning in", and whether systemic issues make it counter-productive for women to address gender perceptions. Depressing findings, if accurate.
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