Editing Ulster Defence Regiment (section)

===Pregnancy, marriage and pay===
Issues which affected other servicewomen also applied to Greenfinches. Rules regarding pregnancy, marriage, and pay. To join, married women were required to submit written permission from their husbands and those with children were obliged to sign a declaration confirming childcare arrangements.<ref name="Gamble-p151" />

Ministry of Defence regulations concerning women soldiers meant that Greenfinches would be discharged in the fourth month of pregnancy.<ref name="Gamble-p153">Gamble p153</ref> If they returned to their unit after maternity leave they were required to retake the basic recruits course.<ref name="Gamble-p153" /> Their previous service did not count towards medal entitlement or promotion.<ref name="Gamble-p153" /> Some sympathetic battalion commanders avoided putting female soldiers through this by sending them on extended, long term leave but keeping them "on strength".<ref name="Potter-p120" />

The European Court ruled against the Ministry of Defence in 1990 and awarded compensation to 78 former Greenfinches totaling £370,000.<ref name="Gamble-p153" /> Regulations then changed and all British servicewomen were subsequently allowed 48 weeks unpaid maternity leave, following which they could return to duty without preconditions.<ref name="Potter-p120" />

A study in 1988 showed that half the women serving were married and 42% were mothers, with two thirds of their children being infants or of school age.<ref name="Potter-p120" />