Working nights while pregnant increases the risk of giving birth prematurely by up to 50%, a study has suggested. University of North Carolina researchers looked at the working conditions of 1,900 pregnant women. The Obstetrics and Gynaecology study found standing for long periods and lifting heavy weights did not increase the risk of premature labour. But working nightshifts in the first three months was linked to a doubling in a woman’s risk of early labour. The researchers say this is possibly because they disrupt the normal activity in the womb at night. The women who took part in the study were all interviewed in the seventh month of their pregnancy. The women were asked to report details about their jobs, such as how many hours per day they spent standing, and how many times per day they lifted an object that weighed 25 pounds or more.
