Being Pregnant at Work
Can I WorkThroughout My Pregnancy?
If you're a healthy woman having a normal pregnancy and you work in a safe environment, you may be able to continue working until the day you deliver, or close to it. Toward the end of your pregnancy, though, you may tire more easily, so take it as easy as possible. And don't be a martyr — if you can afford to start your maternity leave a week or two before your due date, consider using that time to rest up, prepare, and indulge yourself a little bit, since it may be the last time you have for yourself in a while.
What if I work at a strenuous job?
In certain occupations, you might need to make some modifications during your pregnancy. Some studies have shown that women who work physically strenuous jobs during pregnancy — including heavy lifting, standing for long periods, irregular or excessive hours, and other variables — are more likely to deliver prematurely, have lower-birth-weight babies, and develop high blood pressure during pregnancy.
If you do have a strenuous job, you'll have to decide how you can best accommodate your pregnancy. It would be best if you could switch to a type of work that is less physically taxing during your pregnancy. For example, you might exchange tasks with a co-worker so that you do the desk work while she does the work that requires more walking and standing. If this isn't possible in your workplace, try to take an occasional sick day or vacation day to relieve fatigue and reduce the number of hours you work or the time you spend on your feet, especially toward the end of the second trimester and during the third.
Many women try to save up sick and vacation days to use for maternity leave, but you need to balance that against the needs of your body. Remind yourself and your partner that you may need to take a day off from time to time in order to ensure a healthy delivery and baby, and that's important, too. Take breaks as often as you can. Be straightforward with your doctor about what your job entails so she can help you come up with a plan that makes sense for your situation.
If you do have a strenuous job, you'll have to decide how you can best accommodate your pregnancy. It would be best if you could switch to a type of work that is less physically taxing during your pregnancy. For example, you might exchange tasks with a co-worker so that you do the desk work while she does the work that requires more walking and standing. If this isn't possible in your workplace, try to take an occasional sick day or vacation day to relieve fatigue and reduce the number of hours you work or the time you spend on your feet, especially toward the end of the second trimester and during the third.
Many women try to save up sick and vacation days to use for maternity leave, but you need to balance that against the needs of your body. Remind yourself and your partner that you may need to take a day off from time to time in order to ensure a healthy delivery and baby, and that's important, too. Take breaks as often as you can. Be straightforward with your doctor about what your job entails so she can help you come up with a plan that makes sense for your situation.
What should I do if I work around toxic substances?
You'll definitely need a job reassignment, preferably even before you conceive, if you work in a field where you come into contact with known reproductive hazards such as heavy metals like lead and mercury, chemicals such as organic solvents, certain biologic agents, and radiation. These are teratogens — agents that can cause problems like miscarriage, preterm delivery, structural birth defects, and abnormal fetal and infant development when a woman is exposed to them during or even prior to pregnancy. You're likely to come into contact with these hazards while working in places such as computer chip factories, dry-cleaning plants, rubber factories, operating rooms, darkrooms, tollbooths, pottery studios, ship-building plants, and printing presses, to name a few.
Ask your employer to provide you with information about any harmful substances you may be exposed to at work. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that chemical manufacturers and importers thoroughly evaluate chemicals that they produce and then create a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) to communicate any potential hazard to users. Your employer should be able to provide you with an MSDS for any chemical you may be in contact with.
If you have any concerns about health hazards at your workplace, be sure to discuss them with your healthcare provider, and bring the MSDS with you. Also, let your caregiver know if your partner is routinely exposed to hazardous substances.
Ask your employer to provide you with information about any harmful substances you may be exposed to at work. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that chemical manufacturers and importers thoroughly evaluate chemicals that they produce and then create a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) to communicate any potential hazard to users. Your employer should be able to provide you with an MSDS for any chemical you may be in contact with.
If you have any concerns about health hazards at your workplace, be sure to discuss them with your healthcare provider, and bring the MSDS with you. Also, let your caregiver know if your partner is routinely exposed to hazardous substances.