Maternal employment and maternity care in Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of women employment on maternity care and pregnancy outcome in Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia.


METHODS
Two groups of highly educated employed (144 teachers and health care workers) and 162 non-employed mothers, all of Saudi nationality, were compared. Data were collected from family files kept at primary health care centres as well as by direct interview with mothers, two months after delivery.


RESULTS
Working mothers initiated care late in pregnancy and subsequently attended fewer visits. They had more caesarean sections, preterm deliveries and low birth weight infants in the index pregnancy. These adverse effects were more prominent with unfavourable working conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal employment, especially with unfavourable working conditions, is associated with inadequate antenatal care and poorer pregnancy outcome, compared to housewives of the same high educational level. Maternity care providers need training in occupational medicine to promote the health of working mothers.
El-Gilany
Abdel Hady
AH
Family and Community Medicine Department, College of Medicine in Al-Hassa, King Faisal University, Hofuf, Kongdom of Saudi Arabia. ahgilany@hotmail.com
El-Wehady
Adel
A
El-Hawary
Aly
A
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014931:Women, Working / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult