Dear Suma,

As more and more women are becoming career oriented, we now find a lot of women who have to work even when they are pregnant. Most women can safely continue working throughout pregnancy. How long you continue working depends on the job you have and whether its your own decision. For example, if your work involves sitting during much of your work, you can probably continue till the end of your pregnancy.

Take care

Consider the following guidelines if you need to work during pregnancy.

- Drink plenty of fluids

- If you have a desk job, get up and walk around occasionally

- Take a break every few hours

- Take a longer meal break every four hours

- Vary work positions from time to time, from sitting to standing and walking

- As far as possible avoid heavy lifting and bending

Avoid the following

- Exposure to metals such as Mercury and Lead can lead to birth defects, miscarriage, and other problems.

- Exposure to solvents such as household cleaning agents and pesticides can lead to fetal deformity and other problems.

- Exposure to pharmaceutical agents, such as chemotherapy may increase the rate of miscarriage, low birth-weight, and malformations.

- Exposure to infections on the job, such as hepatitis, rubella, and other diseases can cause multiple problems during pregnancy.

- Exposure to physical agents such as radiation and radioactive waste can lead to abnormal fetal development, miscarriage, and other problems.

- Exposure to extreme heat on the job early in pregnancy may increase neural tube defects in the fetus.

Make your own decisions

Each woman is a unique person with distinct capabilities and needs. Just because your best friend decided to work until she went into labor is no reason you must do the same. When it comes to whether you're going to work full term or not, there are no rules but your own.

No matter what type of job you have, the simple thumb rule is to avoid any strenuous activities, such as lifting heavy objects, or doing work that makes you tired.

Refer the lines in BOLD and UNDERLINE, wherein its the women employee's decision to work until the ninth month and there shouldn't be any problems from the employer's side however, its always better to sought the permission of the employer to work until the last month of pregnancy - Excerpts from http://channels.apollolife.com

Regards,

CHRM

"To win..you must stay in the game" - Claude Bristol

One more point to CHRM's excellent advice: Consult with your physician as to the choices to be made regarding proper pre-natal care, including working during pregnancy.  As CHRM pointed out each person is different, and it follows that each pregnacy , as well as the circumstances surrouding it - the person's emotional and physical limitations are different. The main thing is to protect the health and well-being of the mother and the baby.

Paladin