Three trainee midwives whose bursary payments were stopped after they took time off to have children were celebrating today after winning a "landmark" sex discrimination case.

The three women had to halt their training when they became pregnant and were told by the Department of Health that they would lose their bursaries.

One received a demand to repay part of the money because she was treated as having withdrawn from her training course.

The three, Clare Fletcher, 41, of Lewisham, south London, Tracey Parkes, 38, from Portsmouth, and Shelley Wilkinson, 28, from Nottingham, said today they were "delighted" with the decision of an Employment Appeals Tribunal to uphold their case.

They had originally complained to an employment tribunal of sex discrimination but they lost their original case last April, although the judgment highlighted concerns about the lack of protection and pay available to women in their position.

An appeal was lodged with the support of the women's union, Unison, as well as the Royal College of Midwives, the Royal College of Nursing, the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) and the Maternity Alliance.

Dave Prentis, general secretary of Unison, said today: "This is a victory for the women, the NHS and for common sense.

"It seems incredible that the government could have allowed a system to continue which persecuted a group of women who were dedicated to providing care to mothers and babies.

"You can be sick but not pregnant - what sort of message did that send out? We desperately need more midwives so we should make it as easy as possible for them to train by adopting family friendly policies in practice, not just in name."

Mr Prentis called on the health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, to act immediately to make sure other women were spared the "misery and injustice" of losing their bursary payments.

Clare Fletcher said today: "I am extremely delighted that our appeal has been successful and that the suffering caused by this policy will now come to an end.

"It is a pity that the government decided to defend this discriminatory policy rather than address the pain and suffering that it caused."

Julie Mellor, chairwoman of the EOC, said: "Today's decision means no other student midwife, among many other healthcare trainees receiving similar bursaries, will face the financial hardship that these three women have faced.

"It is important that student midwives, who provide such a vital service for mothers and their babies, are entitled to the same maternity rights as other mothers."