Physical Demand

 Heavy lifting, standing for long periods of time, or bending a lot during pregnancy could increase your chances of miscarriage, preterm birth, or injury during pregnancy.

Risk assessment

Workplace risk and maternity

In the workplace there usually very few risks to a pregnant employee, and most women continue working while pregnant, and there is little reason why being pregnant should stop women from continuing their employment.

pesticides

Exposure to pesticides could increase your chances of having a miscarriage, a baby with birth defects, or other problems. Some pesticides also may be able to pass into breast milk. Here, you can learn more about these chemicals and what you can do to reduce your exposure for a healthier pregnancy.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is aware of the concerns arising from recent reports questioning the safety of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicines when used during pregnancy.  As a result, FDA valuated research studies published in the medical literature and determined they are too limited to make any recommendations based on these studies at this time.  Because of this uncertainty, the use of pain medicines during pregnancy should be carefully considered.  FDA urges pregnant women to always discuss all medicines with their health care professionals before using them. 

Workplace Hazards

Many factors can affect a woman’s reproductive health and her ability to produce healthy children. We know that the health of an unborn child can suffer if a woman fails to eat right, smokes, or drinks alcohol during pregnancy. However, we know very little about the cause of most reproductive health problems such as infertility,

Exposure to solvents

Exposure to some organic solvents could increase your chances of having a miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm birth, a low birth-weight baby, or a baby with a birth defect. Many solvents also pass into breast milk. Here, you can learn more about what you can do to reduce your exposure for a healthier pregnancy.

Risky Professions

Aircrew (pilots and flight attendants)
Pregnant flight attendants and pilots should select flight schedules during pregnancy to reduce exposures to cosmic ionizing radiation and circadian disruption (jet lag). Also, pregnant aircrew should try to reduce physical demands including standing, lifting, and bending from the waist.

Protective Equipment

What You Should Know about Personal Protective Equipment
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is equipment that is worn to reduce your exposure to hazardous chemicals.

The Supreme Court

Pregnancy discrimination involves treating women (applicants or employees) unfavorably on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions. Pregnancy discrimination can include all of the following actions by an employer:

Lead-based paint

Prevent Lead Poisoning. Start Now.

Lead poisoning is caused by breathing or swallowing lead. Lead can pass from a mother to her unborn baby.

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis  is an infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii.

Toxoplasmosis can be spread in several ways:

If you do not want to get pregnant, there are many birth control options to choose from. No one product is best for everyone. The only sure way to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs or STDs) is not to have any sexual contact (abstinence).

Many pregnant women take prescription medicines for health problems like diabetes, asthma, seizures, heartburn, and morning sickness. Other women take medicines before they realize they are pregnant.

·         A mother traveling with her breastfeeding infant or child may find that nursing makes travel easier than it would have been with a bottle-fed infant or child. And, by planning well before the travel date, a mother can overcome many potential obstacles.

Health professionals agree that human milk provides the most complete form of nutrition for infants, including premature and sick newborns. However, there are rare exceptions when human milk is not recommended.

 While breastfeeding is the recommended method of infant feeding and provides infants with necessary nutrients and immune factors, breast milk alone does not provide infants with an adequate intake of vitamin D.

Pregnant traveler

Pregnancy is an altered state of health that requires special considerations. With careful preparation, however, most pregnant women are able to travel safely.

Folic acid (also known as vitamin B9) is very important for the development of a healthy foetus, as it can significantly reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs), such as spina bifida.

There has been a world-wide increase in the prevalence of women working during pregnancy. In 1995 in the UK, 66% of women of working age were in employment. This figure had risen to 69% by 200026 and continued to rise. In 2004, seasonally adjusted figures for the spring quarter showed that 45% of the employed population were women.

Working in an area where you regularly breathe secondhand smoke during pregnancy can increase your chances of having a baby with low birthweight. Here, you can learn more about secondhand smoke and what you can do to reduce your exposure for a healthier pregnancy.
What is secondhand smoke?

Working with anesthetic gases could increase your chances of having a miscarriage if the gases are not properly controlled. Here, you can learn more about anesthetic gases and what you can do to reduce your exposure for a healthier pregnancy.

Working in a noisy job when you’re pregnant can affect your hearing and increase your stress levels. When the noise level is very high, like a jackhammer or at a rock concert, it may increase your chances of having a baby with hearing problems. Here, you can learn more about noise at work and what you can do to reduce your exposure for a healthier pregnancy.

Exposure to excess heat at work could increase your chances of having a baby with a birth defect or other reproductive problems. Here, you can learn more about heat at work and what you can do to reduce your exposure for a healthier pregnancy.

Working at night and working long hours have been related to menstrual disorders, miscarriages, and preterm birth. Here, you can learn more about work schedules and shift work and what you can do about your work schedule for a healthier pregnancy.