Pregnancy outcome in working women with work place stress

Abstract

Background: The employment rate of mothers has increased worldwide in recent years. So, there is concern about possible effects of work related risk factors and pregnancy outcome in working women. As a growing percentage of women work outside home before, during, and after pregnancy in most countries and its related occupational factors deserve to be studied in relation to pregnancy outcomes. To identify the effect of work place stress, on pregnancy and perinatal outcome.Methods: 100 pregnant working women, who were visiting the antenatal care unit and labour room taken into study. They were interviewed using predesigned questionnaire, Physical activity questionnaire, Workplace Stress Survey. Statistical analysis performed using SPSS version 21.Results: Mean age was 27yrs, with hrs of working/wk of 47hrs, 41 women studied were working in garment factories,46% of them had complications during their antenatal period, 56% of them were primigravidas. Among studied working conditions, working more than 40 hours/ week was significantly associated with high rates of preterm delivery (12%) and Small for gestational age (SGA) (22%) was significantly increased with high work stress.Conclusions: Among the studied, work conditions for working women working more than 40 hours/week, social stress index were found to be a significant risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes. General practice physical activity (GPPA) 80% of both active and moderately active women had some problems. In work place stress survey (WSS), 100% of women encountering problems at work place had problems during their pregnancy, 72% of women who handled stress moderately had problems. Therefore, as long as the health of the pregnant woman permits her to continue work during pregnancy that is not stressful or overloading for her, no adverse effect on pregnancy outcomes is expected.