Female police officers are suing the city of Detroit after being forced to go on sick leave when their bosses learned they were pregnant.

The pregnant have filed suit, saying they were forced to take sick leave, even though they could perform other duties.

The female officers say they're challenging a 2004 policy that prevents cops injured off the job from working unless a doctor finds they can crawl in confined spaces, jump from an elevated surface and forcibly make arrests. The policy was put into place after the union representing police officers complained that men who were hurt while not at work were being treated differently than pregnant women. The union contended pregnancy was similar to a non-work related disability  -- so if the men were stuck at home unpaid after exhausting their sick leave, pregnant women should be too.

In the lawsuit, filed Monday in Federal court, the women's lawyers call the it a "shocking policy" that violates federal law and the U.S. Constitution.

According to the lawsuit, the policy "places incredible financial burden on these women, including forcing some to rely on Medicaid in order to obtain health insurance and to use food stamps to support themselves."

Officers are forced to "choose between serving the city and having children," the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified financial damages and restoration of seniority.

Tell us - should pregnant women should be allowed to continue working?