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According to Riley, “It’s good medi- cine for a doctor to figure out what her patients do,” so she urges women who are now or are thinking of becoming pregnant to give their doctors as much detail as possible about the nature of their work—their activities and responsi- bilities, as well as environmental condi- tions at the workplace. While working in an animal hospital poses risks similar to those of working in a human hospital, there may be aspects with which an OB/GYN is not familiar. “Have conversations with your medi-
cal provider about what you’re doing and exposures you’re subject to, so your doc- tor can help you moderate your activities or assure you that it’s OK to do them,” Riley said. From the medical provider’s perspec-
Everyone worries about exposure to radiation and anesthetic gases, but these are the most manageable risks.
tive, Riley pointed out items of concern: “Make sure equipment works prop- erly and that gloves, masks and aprons are available; and educate yourself and colleagues about risks and OSHA guidelines.” Riley also suggested talking to the
owner or manager about the possibil- ity of needing to make arrangements to allow for the fact that “at some point in a pregnancy, you shouldn’t lift a certain amount of weight.”
Risks to understand The two major areas that “everybody
worries about” are exposure to radiation and anesthetic gases, but “these are low in urgency because they are the most manageable,” said Philip J. Seibert Jr., CVT, owner and consultant with Safe- tyVet, in Calhoun, Tenn. Seibert provides input on Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) aspects of this and related workplace matters. “The only time someone actually is at risk is for the milliseconds that exposure occurs. If you follow safety precautions— not being in the room when X-rays are taken or, if you have to be in the room, wearing safety gear—there is a risk, but it’s a manageable risk. The risks to avoid are those that are hard to manage, such
as exposure to serious chemicals, like chemotherapy drugs.” Seibert ranks the top five risks for
pregnant women as: Physical injuries, such as animal bites, or stress-related ones, such as back injuries from lifting too much weight
Slips, trips, falls and strains, which “account for more problems” than exposure to radiation or chemicals
Drugs and chemicals, even only in small quantities, if exposed to them every day
Hazardous procedures Emotional stress While the risks are undoubtedly real,
most women should be able to keep working throughout their pregnancies. “As long as you find a solution to the risk, you can keep working right up to the day you deliver,” Seibert said.
OSHA weighs in Because pregnancy in the workplace is common throughout the world of work, OSHA and the U.S. court system provide some guidance, although it is somewhat by default.
“OSHA has no regulation whatsoever
that says a pregnant woman can’t work,” Seibert said. “The Supreme Court says that [employers] have to treat pregnant women the same as anyone else. Preg- nancy may be considered as a temporary disability—you have to accommodate someone if she can’t lift heavy weights, climb ladders, etc.,” in the same way an employer would accommodate an employee with an injury of some sort, such as a broken limb or back problem. Seibert does have a “pet peeve” in
this arena. “I hear from women who have just found out that they’re pregnant and say they haven’t always worn gloves or aprons, but it’s always important [to take protective measures] because some damage to the fetus can already have been done.” That is, any woman who might become pregnant should take protective actions from the first day of work in an
Trends magazine, September 2011
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