Q: I’ve just learned that I’m pregnant. I work full-time, and am wondering if I can expect to continue to do so until I give birth?
Answer from Dr. Larry L. Veltman, medical director of obstetrics and gynecology at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center: You will be asked to discuss your occupational history with your physician during the early part of your pregnancy. In general, there is no reason not to work under most circumstances during pregnancy.
In some cases, however, there may be some safety issues. For example, during pregnancy a woman’s ligaments are more lax and her center of gravity changes, so you’re at greater risk of injury if your job involves heavy lifting. If you work in a factory or plant of any kind, there may also be risks resulting from occupational exposure to toxic chemicals. If you think that any of these risk factors potentially relate to you, review your duties and environmental/chemical contacts with your company’s nurse and with your physician or midwife at the beginning of pregnancy or, better yet, before you become pregnant.
If none of these issues relate to you, and you decide to continue to work through pregnancy, you may still experience discomfort on the job toward the end of pregnancy. Many pregnant women wonder if they can stop working before the end of pregnancy. The situation should be discussed with your physician or midwife. You may be able to stop work or cut back on your hours, but you might not be eligible for disability insurance payments.
The U.S. Supreme Court has stated that pregnancy, in and of itself, is not a disability. So there needs to be a diagnosed, medical problem in addition to the pregnancy in order for you to qualify as disabled.
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December 2002
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