[Diagnoses among sick-listed pregnant women]

51% of 710 women in paid employment and resident in the municipality of Baerum were certified as sick during their gestationel period. In 1/3 of the cases the medical certificate referred to musculoskeletal/connective tissue diseases, a problem which increased with duration of pregnancy. 208 women (29%) were incapacitated from work for more than two weeks and in 36% of these women, the sickness certificate was obtained on grounds of threatened well-being of the foetus. According to the current Norwegian legislation, morbidity of the mother is the only indication for granting certification of illness to a pregnant woman. The paper indicates that the law should be updated to include morbidity of the foetus as a justifiable reason for certifying the mother as sick. In addition, the perinatal audit should be expanded to include cases of foetal morbidity as well as cases of foetal mortality.