3 common risks if a woman has to work the night shift while pregnant

According to a study in Denmark, women who work the night shift while pregnant regularly have an 85% higher risk of preterm birth and miscarriage than those who work during the day.

For modern women, balancing work and home is always a big challenge. However, this problem becomes even more difficult during pregnancy, especially for women who often work at night. Do pregnant women work the night shift harm? If you have any questions, please continue with the following shares of aFamilyToday Health .

Can pregnant women work the night shift?

Adjusting work to rest during pregnancy is really not easy for many women, many even have to work the night shift during this important period. Working the night shift is something no one wants but if this is a force majeure situation, will it harm the baby?

In fact, studies have shown that whether you are pregnant or not, long-term night-shift work can affect your health, disrupt your circadian rhythm, and lead to sleep problems and poor performance. concentrate. If you are a pregnant woman, you may be at higher risk such as preterm birth, low birth weight babies, pre-eclampsia ...

3 common risks if women often work night shift during pregnancy

Here are some of the health problems you might face if you regularly work the night shift:

1. Lack of sleep

Working the night shift can mess with your sleep cycle, leading to inadequate sleep. This prolonged condition can affect the immune system. In addition, studies also show that sleep deprivation can cause babies born to be underweight.

2. Stress and anxiety

Working long hours, especially at night, can make pregnant women more susceptible to  anxiety and stress . This can affect the health of the fetus and increase the risk of preterm birth.

3. Miscarriage and premature birth

Studies have shown that women who regularly work night shifts for long periods of time have a higher risk of having a preterm birth, more serious, which could lead to miscarriage .

Things to keep in mind when working the night shift during pregnancy

Working the night shift can be harmful to the health of you and your baby, but if you don't have any other option, take note of the following:

Avoid stressing at work as it may harm the unborn baby.

Avoid standing still for a long time as this can make you feel uncomfortable, putting pressure on the uterus and affecting your baby.

Save the phone numbers of doctors, emergency and loved ones for convenient contact in case of emergency.

Pregnancy can lead to vision problems, so avoid working too much on the computer as this can put more strain on the eyes.

Avoid working in low-light environments so as not to harm eyes.

Sit comfortably at work to avoid putting pressure on the fetus.

Bring a nutritious yet healthy food such as fresh fruit to eat when hungry.

Do not bend over if the belly is already large as this can put great pressure on the uterus, not good for the fetus. If it's your job to bow, talk to your manager for help or ask a colleague to help.

Drinking coffee while working the night shift can be a great way to dispel the sleepiness. However, studies have shown that too much caffeine can lead to miscarriage or low birth weight.

Some tips to help you have a healthy pregnancy even though you have to work the night shift while pregnant

To stay healthy even when you have to work the night shift while pregnant, you should follow these guidelines:

A good night's sleep about 8-9 hours / day is indispensable for pregnant women. So if you have to work the night shift, find ways to compensate for other times of the day.

Try to bring some healthy foods such as fruits, cereals ... for snacks, avoid eating outside dishes because they may not be hygienic. 

If you feel tired or uncomfortable for some reason, don't hesitate to talk with your coworkers. You can also call your family to talk about this. Even if it's just a small matter, don't ignore it.

The secret to helping pregnant women have good sleep during the day

1. Use light curtains

Dark environment is the perfect space for sleep. When there are any light sources, even small, they send signals to your brain that make it difficult to sleep. Therefore, to have a good night's sleep, you should use curtains to block out the light.

2. Use white noise devices

The sounds of nature such as the sound of waves, rain, the wind ... can help you relax and fall asleep faster. Therefore, you can create your own mp3 files containing white noise and play each time you go to bed.

3. Use lavender essential oil

Lavender essential oil is a natural essential oil recommended by experts for pregnant women from 5 months onwards. This essential oil not only has a pleasant fragrance, but is also great for sleep. According to research, pregnant women who smell this essential oil can sleep faster and deeper. However, in the first 3 months, you should not use any essential oils because at this time pregnancy is not stable, use can increase the risk of miscarriage.

Although working the night shift can be harmful to the health of you and your baby, if you don't have any other way, please keep some notes above. During the work process, if you encounter any problems, please seek the help of everyone around to ensure the safety of yourself and your baby.