Preconceptual care should include looking at the effect of working conditions on pregnancy
by Editorial Committee | December 2, 2009 - 12:28
Authors: Brand T, Ruiz van Haperen VWT, Vliet-Lachotzki EH van, Steegers EAP. Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde 2009; 153: A363.
Working conditions are amongst the exogenous factors that can lead to pregnancy complications.
Attention within preconceptual care to the working conditions experienced by women who plan to become pregnant can change this, by influencing exposure to harmful working conditions.
Until now, relatively little attention has been given to working conditions within preconceptual care, and the subject is often not discussed in daily midwifery practice. The most relevant literature on this topic is summarized in this article.
Occupational exposure to certain chemicals, stressful work and nightshifts during early pregnancy increase the risk of spontaneous abortion.
If the mother or father have been exposed to solvents before conception, or the mother during early pregnancy, the risk of congenital malformations is increased. This is also the case when the mother is exposed to pesticides during early pregnancy or the father before conception.
We conclude that the occupational physician should be involved in the preconceptual consultation in order to contribute to the prevention of pregnancy complications.
