'Something special' - Milan's ground-breaking maternity policy means women's footballers can be 'comfortable' and not 'scared' of becoming a mother

Earlier this month, Milan became the first club to guarantee automatic contract renewals for female players who get pregnant during the final season of their contracts, while also promising assistance with childcare and expenses.

There are sadly so many stories of players struggling for this sort of support in the women's game. Scotland international Emma Mukandi explained last year that she faked an injury because she was worried her pregnancy wouldn't be received well, while Sara Bjork Gunnarsdottir won a landmark maternity case against Lyon after the club failed to pay her full salary during pregnancy. But Milan is hopeful that its new policy can help the sport take positive steps forward.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Milan captain Christy Grimshaw praised the club's move, saying: "The choice of being a mother or a player is one that definitely, in the past, a lot of women have had to make. To be granted this opportunity feels extra special. You might be in the last year of your contract and feel a little scared about becoming a mother. It's taking that choice away from us. We can feel comfortable. Becoming a mother as a woman is a beautiful thing. I'm hoping this is the start of something special in women's football and women's sport."

Elisabet Spina, Milan's head of women's football, added: "As a huge club, we have the responsibility to try to develop women's football. That's why every year we invest in a dedicated project. I hope this project in particular can help not only women's football improve, but women's sport and female professionals."

While there are a number of high-profile female players who have returned to football after pregnancy, with Alex Morgan, Sydney Leroux and Jessica McDonald - all World Cup winners with the United States - among them, mothers in the sport are still in the minority. Many feel they have to retire to then focus on starting a family, with U.S. icon Carli Lloyd saying as much when she chose to hang up her boots.

Policies like this one introduced by Milan can help make it easier for women's players to have children while still playing though and the Italian club, which begins its new season next weekend away at Como, will hope it can create something of a domino effect when it comes to others offering support for mothers in the game.