By studying the publication careers of over 1.5 million scientists, we take a career-focused persepective to identify the factors inhibiting gender equity in STEM. We find that despite an improved trend towards population equality, the gender differences in career-wise productivity and impact have been growing over the last 70 years. Yet, the research outcomes of men and women year to year are essentially equivalent. Third, and most importantly, women are ending their publishing careers at higher rates than men, and this is happening across every stage of their careers.