The job market today includes a large portion of the female workforce. Women who perform various roles may face pregnancy during their professional journey. But when is work considered risky during pregnancy, and what should you do? What rights does a woman have at this time?

It is necessary to be attentive to risk factors at work; if needed, the law ensures the pregnant woman’s safety, even allowing a department change if the current job presents danger for her and her baby.

How To Improve Your Workday

Pregnancy is a unique and special time, but it requires care and attention to ensure the health of the future mother and baby. This is especially true for risky jobs during pregnancy; it is very important to know your role and whether it presents any danger or causes stress that might harm your health or the baby’s.

Every pregnant woman has the right to a safe work environment that provides peace of mind. After all, not only physical risks can affect your pregnancy, but also stress factors or noisy locations. Being prevented from moving around the company when needing to, performing repetitive movements, staying in a single position during work, or suffering pressure from superiors can all be harmful.

Blood Circulation and Leg Swelling

To make your daily routine more comfortable, it is necessary to adopt some healthy habits that will help replenish your energy and ensure your well-being. If you work many hours standing or sitting, it is recommended to walk around every hour, and if possible, prop your feet up to help and reactivate circulation.

The working pregnant woman needs to relax, especially if her job is very tiring; a fifteen-minute nap helps restore strength. Talk to your superiors about this need and see if it’s possible to arrange a space for rest during breaks in each work shift.

Try to stay as comfortable as possible, wear shoes and clothes that are not tight, and remember you will spend a significant part of your pregnancy at work. Another important detail is not to go too long without using the restroom, which helps prevent a possible urinary infection.

Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and eat healthily every three hours. Try to add fruits and foods rich in fiber to your diet, as they will help your digestion and intestinal function.

Dangerous Professions for Pregnant Women

Some professions can be considered dangerous for pregnant women, especially those that present some risk to the health of the woman and her developing baby. This is a time for extreme caution, and care should be doubled throughout the pregnancy.

If you work handling chemicals, whether directly or indirectly, it is best to consult your doctor because some risks can affect the baby’s development and cause malformation. If necessary, request a transfer to another department and make sure your labor rights as a pregnant woman are respected.

Professions that require strenuous effort or involve high heat exposure can impair healthy pregnancy development and may lead to preterm birth. These include cleaners, cooks, painters, domestic workers, and those who work in laundries and supermarkets.

Pregnant women who work in factories and who are exposed to noisy areas or perform repetitive tasks on the production line are also considered to have high-risk pregnancies. In addition to circulatory problems, they are exposed to stressful environments due to noise and prolonged time in the same position.

Expectant mothers working in nurseries, schools, or busy places are also at risk of contracting illnesses, such as rubella, a highly contagious viral infection. Women who have not been vaccinated against rubella are advised to get vaccinated and wait one month before becoming pregnant, as the vaccine is contraindicated during pregnancy.

Pregnant women who work in radiology are protected by ANVISA Ordinance No. 453/98, receive radiological protection, and should be relocated to another department.

Main Diseases That Affect Pregnant Women at Work

Not all pregnant women are protected in their workplace, and both their health and their baby’s health can be compromised. Some of the most frequent diseases resulting from risky work during pregnancy are:

  • Urinary Infection – Pregnant women whose jobs make bathroom breaks difficult and who spend many hours sitting may develop urinary tract problems.
  • Back Pain and Knee Problems – Jobs involving posture, such as sitting for long periods in an office or lifting heavy objects like in supermarkets.
  • Stress and Depression – Inadequate work environments with excessive pressure and demands from superiors.
  • Respiratory Tract Diseases – Caused by toxic chemicals and products

Labor Laws for Pregnant Women

It’s important to be aware of labor laws for pregnant women as they provide job security and guarantee your rights during pregnancy. According to Brazilian labor law (CLT), pregnant women with formal employment cannot be dismissed until five months after the baby is born.

If you are dismissed and later discover you were pregnant at the time, you just need to prove the pregnancy with a medical certificate and exams and request your reinstatement. Every pregnant woman has the right to a maternity leave of one hundred and twenty days, starting up to twenty-eight days before the expected birth.

Pregnant women have the right to leave the workplace for six medical appointments, to undergo prenatal care, and other examinations. After the baby is born, mothers are allowed to take breaks at work to breastfeed their child until the baby turns six months old. This right is called nursing leave.

When the job presents risks to the pregnant woman and baby, the law grants the right to be transferred to another department that guarantees the woman’s physical and emotional stability.

Also see: Rights of the Pregnant Woman and Mother – Projeto Com Licença by Bia Siqueira
Photo: voltamax