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Do you have a high-stress job?

Women who work in particularly stressful jobs should also think about trying to cut back on working hours.

A study conducted in Holland has discovered that pregnant women who worked more than 32 hours per week at high stress jobs were more likely to have:

• preeclampsia
• low birthweight babies
• babies who cried excessively

The study, which involved 7,000 working mothers, suggested that women who work at high-stress jobs try to cut down their working hours to only 24 hours per week.

Leaving Work Early

Sometimes, it is necessary to leave work before your pregnancy due date arrives.

Reasons why you might have to leave work include:

• Pregnancy Discomforts: Severe pregnancy discomforts like morning sickness, dizziness, or swelling may leave you unable to work effectively at some point during your pregnancy. Your health care provider might suggest that you take a few weeks off until these discomforts subside.
• Pregnancy Complications: If complications occur during your pregnancy, it is likely that your health care provider will ask you to take some time off of work. Complications including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, or experiencing a multiple pregnancy sometimes require leave time from work.

In the United States, women who need to leave work early as a result of pregnancy discomforts or complications are entitled to claim disability support. Be sure to discuss this with your employer or human resources department should the need arrive.

Alternatively, if you need to leave work within two weeks of your due date, your maternity leave will automatically begin. Employers of more than 50 workers are required to offer 12 weeks of maternity leave. This leave may or may not be paid depending upon your work contract.

Prenatal Care: Taking Time Off

If you are pregnant and choose to continue to work, it is expected that you will continue to work the number of hours that you have discussed with your employer.

Sometimes, though, it is impossible to find a time outside of working hours to attend prenatal appointments. Women are entitled to take time off of work to see their health care providers throughout their pregnancies.

However, it is best to schedule these appointments outside of working hours whenever possible.