Bending over on the job increases miscarriage risk, study says
Jobs that require pregnant women to bend over could be increasing their risk of miscarriage, a new study says.
A new study suggests that jobs requiring pregnant women to bend over could increase their risk of miscarriage. Researchers found that every hour spent working bent forward raised miscarriage risk by 36%. Waitressing, farm work, gardening and trade work were among the occupations linked to this increased risk. Other jobs that required a lot of walking also raised the risk of pregnancy loss by 18% per hour of walking.
The study, which analyzed 800,000 pregnancies among 475,000 women from 2004 to 2018, used sensors to track the posture of over 400 women. Forward-bending work posed the greatest hazard, followed by walking and standing work. While the exact reason for this risk is unclear, it may be due to restricted blood flow to the placenta or stress hormones triggered by bending forward.
Pregnant women should not be overly worried about going to work, but employers should consider adjusting tasks and providing seating for those who spend much of the day bending forward, standing or walking.
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