[Work and cessation of work in pregnancy.]

To what extent women work during pregnancy in Iceland and why or when they discontinue work, has not been assessed, nor if work during pregnancy affects gestational length and birthweight, as seen elsewhere. In an unselected group of 407 women delivering at the National University Hospital in Reykjavik in the months September and November 1993, information on obstetrical outcome measures, job continuation, cessation of work and sickness- or other benefits from employer or social security was obtained from birth registration, maternity records and by a short structured interview with each woman. A majority of the women (347) worked during pregnancy (85%), but 304 discontinued work (87.6%), on average 65.3 days before delivery. In addition 10 housewives could not continue domestic work. Women who became unwell during pregnancy appeared not to stop work earlier than others. Most stopped because of illness (59.2%) and some used summer holidays to discontinue work (12.7%) when this coincided with the end of pregnancy. Significantly more women stopped work because of íil1ness among those delivering in November (67.9%), compared to those in September (50.6%) (p<0.002). Parous women with two or more children discontinued work less frequently than those of no or low parity. Gestational length among women working until late in pregnancy was significantly shorter (mean 274.8 days) than when cessation was earlier (mean 280.1 days). Women in strenuous jobs had to discontinue work more often and delivered lighter babies than others (p=0.003). Most Icelandic women appear to work in pregnancy regardless of parity. The majority discontinue work two months before delivery and even considerably earlier. Illness, unpaid or paid sickness leave or selective use of holidays is common. One in six receive social benefits before delivery. Heavier work is more frequently connected to lighter birth-weight and shorter gestation as elsewhere.