It has always been a concern for pregnant women if working during pregnancy can have some effect on maternal and fetal health. Also, even employers are worried that pregnancy will affect the work performance of pregnant female employees and are reluctant to employ pregnant women.
Pregnancy is associated with a wide variety of physical, functional, and emotional changes.
While these changes may not at all affect the work performance of many pregnant women, the problems of nausea and vomiting, fatigue, discomfort, and pain might negatively impact the work performance of a few.
Nausea and/or vomiting can be provoked by workplace odors or restrictions around eating. These problems can usually be managed with hydration, snacking as needed, taking a brief break, medication, and scheduling the most demanding work for times when the individual tends to feel less nauseous, if possible.
Simple precautions that can help reduce excessive fatigue, and discomfort, and potentially reduce the risk of pregnancy complications include modifying shift times and tasks; minimizing lifting, bending, and prolonged standing; using proper lifting techniques; taking regular breaks every few hours and a longer break after five hours; and drinking plenty of fluids.
Systematic reviews have generally concluded that standard working conditions present little hazard to maternal or child health [17,18]. A woman with an uncomplicated pregnancy who is employed where there are no greater potential hazards than those encountered in routine daily life may continue to work without interruption until the onset of labor. However, the physical demands of the individual’s job should be considered on a case-by-case basis, especially for those at higher risk of preterm delivery or who have medical or obstetric disorders that are unstable or associated with impaired placental perfusion (e.g., preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction).
Both the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) state that physical activity during pregnancy is beneficial to most women, exercise is safe for both mother and fetus and exercising while pregnant carries little risk. In addition, abstaining from work can create hardships that need to be considered and balanced with the anxiety and uncertainty of possible low levels of risk.
However one has to consider night shift work which has been associated with an increased risk of miscarriage. In 2013, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published clinical guidelines for occupational lifting in uncomplicated pregnancies.
Infrequent lifting - <20 weeks gestation, maximum permissible limit is 16kg
>20 weeks gestation, maximum permissible limit is 12 kg
