Pregnant women at work in the city of Buenos Aires - new considerations

Introduction  In the modern world of work where women increasingly work outside the home, they have the right to be pregnant and have children. Various  instances and laws protect women in this phase, but sometimes the interpretations of law can be wrong and take pregnancy as a state of illness. There are jobs where pregnancy can limit women''''''''s work capacity (for example heavy physical effort) due to changes in their body and mind. Also there are two persons (the unborn child and the mother) who may be exposed to the hazardous working conditions.    

Methods  This is a descriptive study on existing laws, conventions and practices concerning pregnancy, maternity and nursing at work. Both advantages and disadvantages are considered. The target group are teachers of the city of Buenos Aires. Among 24000 teachers, 80 % are women of whom 40 % are between the ages of 21 and 45. Approximately 50 % have had pregnancy.    

Results  Based on the analysis of laws and labour contracts, it could be determined that the pathologies detected in pregnant women do not always justify the extended permissions given by the physicians. The physical and psychological changes in women during the last trimester of the pregnancy do not allow certain type of work activity, creating fictitious disability.    

Discussion  The limits between real and suggested pathologies during pregnancy must be determined. Some changes during the trimester of pregnancy are necessary to consider from the stanpoint of OSH. Well-grounded risk maps should be used according to the work activity carried out by the pregnant worker.