[RhysU]

> The horrible work-life balance in early phase academia, at the exact point when you are usually trying to start a family, is a much bigger issue.

It is unpleasant for both genders. As a male this horrible phase was a factor in me not keeping on the academic track, though not the only one.

> Especially since women in academia are often in relationships with men in academia, the question of "whose career do we down-prioritize" is answered as much by biology as by the wishes of the couple in question.

That sounds like a trade-off made by two intelligent adults working in tandem to better their family's place in the world.

I watched my wife perform with a professional ballet company 3 months after giving birth to our older child.

If the couple wants to prioritize the woman's career, certainly post partum lecturing, research, and mentoring can be resumed with full gusto in a similar time frame.