WORK AND PREGNANCY - In modern society, women are increasingly called upon to play the triple role of worker, wife and mother. So when you discover that you are expecting a baby, you often find yourself faced with numerous questions about how to manage your schedule, your job and your pregnancy.
Under normal conditions the worker can continue to work until the seventh month of pregnancy: a woman who carries on a peaceful and uncomplicated pregnancy can certainly continue to do her job, unless the work in question or the environment work does not pose a risk to the health of the mother and fetus. In this case, the el paesena law protects the pregnant worker by offering her the possibility to ask to perform another job or to take advantage of early maternity leave, during which the woman has the right to receive the entire salary.
Read also: When to tell at work that you are pregnant
It must be said that a pregnant woman is more sensitive to the risks present in the workplace, and these risks, if present, can have negative consequences for the health of the mother and the unborn child. Therefore, to choose whether to continue working until the seventh month or ask for early leave, a determining factor is represented by the type of work that the future mother carries out. Jobs considered dangerous in pregnancy are all those that include:
- stressful activities with night shifts;
- activities in which it is necessary to raise gods weights o maintain an upright posture for many hours;
- activities carried out in places with unfavorable temperatures (excessive heat or cold or both);
- activities subject to vibrations continue (for example if you work on means of transport);
- activities in which the expectant mother is exposed to chemical substances harmful, ionizing radiation or biological agents.
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In deciding whether to continue working until the seventh month or to take advantage of early motherhood, the expectant mother must therefore take into account the working environment and determine whether it is appropriate for the purpose of pregnancy or could represent a danger to herself and the baby.
In the event that the activity in question jeopardizes the health of the mother or child or in general is considered risky for the purpose of pregnancy, as an alternative to early maternity leave, the worker can ask to perform another job.
On the contrary, if the pregnancy proceeds without problems or complications and the work is not risky and does not involve particular efforts and stress, the expectant mother can safely continue to work up to eight weeks before the expected date of birth. perhaps by planning a progressive reduction of the hours work in parallel with the advancement of pregnancy. The watchword to best combine work and pregnancy is in fact "moderation"; we must try to avoid all those behaviors that can jeopardize your own health and that of the child.
First of all, it is essential to adapt one's usual rhythms to the new condition by reducing the workload and trying, if possible, to delegate to others particularly demanding tasks.
It is advisable to do some frequent breaks, often change position and avoid standing too much and in general try not to get tired because in this case there could be a reduction in the blood supply necessary for the well-being of the fetus.
Another factor that the expectant mother must keep under control in her working environment is it stress, which can be a danger to pregnancy. It is important to avoid stress or at least try to reduce it because, according to the data that emerged from numerous researches, high levels of cortisol, the hormone responsible for stress, can be associated with an increased risk of miscarriage and premature birth.
