How Your Workplace May Contribute To Miscarriage

There's quite a bit of conflicting information out there about what causes miscarriage and what doesn't. This article seems to do a good job of addressing some real workplace hazzards for pregnant women - not just chemical hazzards, but physical ones as well. Read more:


www.minnestoamedicine.com

From the article:

Physical Hazards
Women working in the manufacturing, agriculture, and service industries as well as those who work as firefighters or nursing assistants often must perform tasks that are physically demanding. Because of the physiological changes that take place during pregnancy, including increased stress on the musculoskeletal system, intensive job-related physical demands have been associated with an increased risk for miscarriage, especially among women who have had 2 or more spontaneous abortions.14 In addition, a growing body of research has linked heavy lifting, prolonged standing, working the night shift, and working long hours during pregnancy with impaired fetal growth and preterm delivery.15,16 Researchers have suggested several reasons for this: pooling of blood in the lower extremities when standing for prolonged periods, less blood returning to the heart because of the demands of the growing uterus, and interference with circadian rhythms, which ultimately affect hormone levels.