Alia Slammed For Working During Pregnancy: Know What Ranbir And Experts Have To Say

As per the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the decision to work during pregnancy must be influenced by factors like workplace setup, natural or artificial ventilation and the nature of work practices

In a recent event, actor Ranbir Kapoor was all praise for his wife Alia Bhatt. While the actress is being slammed for working during pregnancy, her husband Kapoor came to the rescue and back-patted her for her honest commitment. The actor said that Bhatt has been an important part of the film industry and her value system decides the course of her action. While for Bhatt, working during pregnancy brings 'peace', for her husband Kapoor, if anybody blames her for working at this stage, it amounts to nothing but 'jealousy'. This instance brings us to an important discussion, the sensitive dilemma of working during pregnancy.

For the majority of expecting mothers, with uncomplicated and low-risk pregnancies, working during pregnancy is normal. However, there are a few situations that might make working hazardous for you and your baby. Pregnancy can never be summed up in a single guide and so are the decisions around it. The decision to work during the gestational period must be an independent choice that comes out of a healthy consultation with your doctor. While many jobs are safe to continue through pregnancies, other duties might need to be stopped.

Pregnancy and Desk Jobs: Safest, but not all easy and breezy

Desk jobs are the safest during pregnancy but it doesn't mean they don't come up with their own set of challenges. Here are a few challenges that might trouble expecting mothers on a working desk-

• Due to fluid buildup during pregnancy, some women develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and they might experience tingling and numbness in their fingers. These symptoms might travel from the wrist to one's arms. This can make keyboard work difficult.
• It is very common to get back pain during pregnancy, especially in the early stages. To prepare you for labour, the ligaments in your body naturally become softer. Sitting for long hours might aggravate your body pain.
• Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, often known as morning sickness can affect you at any time of the day. This might make working difficult.

You can make it a little better

If you are an expecting mother and you happen to be working at a desk job, the following adaptations can make your life easy-

• Taking frequent breaks. Walking around often will improve blood flow and save you from developing swelling.
• Using a cushion or pillow for lower back support
• Not crossing your legs and feet
• If your job needs you to stand for long hours, always keep a stool by your side and wear comfortable and low-heeled shoes. Wear flat footwear to evenly distribute your weight. Standing for long hours can reduce blood flow to the fetus.
• Use a wrist wrester while typing
• Bend your knees and keep your back straight when you are lifting something from the ground.

Common jobs and potential risks

As per the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the decision to work during pregnancy must be influenced by factors like workplace setup, natural or artificial ventilation, nature of work practices and availability of protective equipment. The nature of jobs might vary for all expecting mothers but here are a few health hazards associated with specific jobs-

• Expecting mothers working in aircrew can be exposed to cosmic ionizing radiations and circadian disruption (jet lag)
• Artist mothers to be can suffer through long-standing hours and exposure to germs
• Women working on farms could be exposed to animal-related infections and high physical demands like lifting, standing and bending repeatedly
• Women working in healthcare might be at a higher risk of exposure to infectious agents, anaesthetic gases, X-rays and other chemicals. Slips and falls are also very common in such setups.
• Women working in beauty salons are also exposed to dozens of chemicals including acrylates, solvents, formaldehyde and biocide vapours.

Working time matters: Study

As per a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, pregnant women who work during the night or for long hours are more likely to have a miscarriage or preterm delivery than mothers who work during the day. The study showed that mothers who work during the night are more likely to develop high blood pressure.