Work and Pregnancy

Abstract

Pregnancy outcomes of 7155 women who worked between 1-9 mo. of pregnancy were compared with outcomes of 4018 women who were not employed. There were no differences in rates of prematurity, Apgar score, birthweight, perinatal death rate or malformation prevalence. Working women were divided into those who left employment during the 1st 8 mo. and those who worked all 9 mo. The latter had a lower rate of adverse outcome than the other working group and the nonworking group. This indicated that working to term in the absence of contraindications did not impose an added risk on mother or infant. After control of confounding by parity and other relevant factors, an increased risk of prolonged gestational age was seen among primiparous working women. There was an increased risk of fetal distress among those women leaving work prior to 9 mo. who were having their 3rd or subsequent child. A small decrease in birthweight was seen among women who left work prior to term but not among those who worked all 9 mo. Overall the results were reassuring that working during pregnancy was not in itself a risk factor for adverse outcome.