"After a great deal of reflection, I have decided to step down as the Member for Euroa at the coming state election," she said on Wednesday morning.

"With a little one at home and another on the way, it is time for me to seek a job that offers greater flexibility.

"Serving my community as the first member for Euroa has been the honour of a lifetime.

"The greatest pleasure of this job has been the opportunity it has afforded me to meet every day people doing extraordinary things."

Ms Ryan said she was proud to have served as deputy leader and to be the first woman in the party's history to be elected to a leadership position.

"I believe our community deserves someone who can devote 150 per cent of their time and energy to representing them," she said.

"In reality that means someone who can give freely of week nights and weekends and that, at this stage in my life, is not compatible with my wish to be more present for my family.

"Over the next six months I will continue to work tirelessly to see a new government led by Matthew Guy and Peter Walsh elected to ensure regional Victoria and my communities get their fair share."

IN OTHER NEWS:

EARLIER: North East MP Steph Ryan is expected to announce her retirement from the Victorian Parliament on Wednesday.

The Member for Euroa and Victorian Nationals deputy leader confirmed her decision on social media Tuesday evening.

"The perfect irony of having a toddler screaming "Mummy, cuddles now!!!" from her cot, while this breaks 12 hours before I had hoped and my phone goes nuts," she said in a tweet that highlighted the reasons behind her decision.

Pregnant with her second child, Ms Ryan, 36, told The Age she was quitting politics in November to spend more time with her family.

"With a little one at home and another on the way, it is time for me to seek a job that offers greater flexibility," she said.

A former journalist and political adviser, Ms Ryan was elected in November 2014 and soon after became deputy leader.

The seat of Euroa had been created in 2013 when electoral boundaries were redistributed.

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