Screen Based Work and Pregnancy

1. (1987)

Some concern has periodically been expressed about the perceived risk of working with screen based equipment whilst pregnant.

This concern was fuelled by literature which reported clusters of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including spontaneous abortion and still birth, amongst employees of large technologically dependent enterprises. Stress and radiation were at various times attributed with being the major casual factors.

These reports prompted a series of research projects which were intended to determine whether or not a casual relationship existed between screen based work and adverse pregnancy outcome.

The Occupational Health and Safety Unit has been monitoring the results of these studies over the past eighteen months, as well as the results of extensive radiation testing being conducted within the Departments of Social Security and Employment and Industrial Relations, which have failed conclusively to establish the presence of significant radiation emissions.

The largest medical study performed so far has confirmed the findings of smaller projects conducted in Scandinavia and the USA. In particular, the results of continual monitoring by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists [1]. The Montreal study [2] found that there is no evidence linking adverse pregnancy outcomes with screen based work. A parallel study by the same researchers found that the major occupational factors contributing particularly to spontaneous abortion were heavy manual work and other physical efforts.

However, for the overall health and wellbeing of the pregnant employee, it is recommended that no more than three to four hours of screen based work be performed each day. This recommendation is in keeping with accepted preventive strategies for the avoidance of Occupational Overuse Injuries. It also ensures the amelioration of additional stress placed on the back and peripheral circulation of the pregnant employee.

References

1. American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' Statement to the House Subcommittee on Health and Safety, Committee on Education and Labour, May 1986.
2. A. McDonald et al., J.Occup.Med. 28. 1126-1131 (1986)

For further information contact:
OHS Officer, e-mail: OHS.Officer@anu.edu.au