Pregnant women may find it difficult to manage career demands throughout their pregnancy, and a new study has highlighted the possible link between some career characteristics and the risk of premature birth.
The Monash University study discovered a substantial correlation between shift work, lengthy work hours, and physically demanding vocations and an increased chance of premature birth before the 37-week pregnant mark. Specifically, women who had shift work had a 63% higher risk than women with regular schedules, and women with over 40 hours worked each week had a 44% higher risk.
The study also discovered some flimsy, non-quantifiable evidence linking physically demanding jobs and whole-body vibration exposure to premature birth. However, there has been no proof that women who lift large objects or stand for a prolonged period of time are more prone.
Professor Alex Collie, who is also a co-author of the study and the head of Monash University’s Healthy Working Lives Research Group, emphasised that the report proposes reducing the duties assigned to new moms rather than encouraging employers to deter pregnant women from working.
He clarified, “Most jobs can be modified in some way to reduce exposure to physical tasks,” stressing the value of candid communication between employers and pregnant workers in order to develop and carry out risk-reduction plans.
“The proportion of Australian women working in physically demanding occupations has grown along with the country’s female workforce. He added, “We need workplace policies and procedures that balance these hazards without restricting women’s involvement in the workforce.
