[Pregnancy and work: apropos of sick leave]

A study of sick leave from work during pregnancy has been performed from data collected by Social Security's consulting doctors in 1985. The proportion of sick leave of a duration of less than six months during pregnancy may be estimated to be 18.6% of all the reasons for sick leave for all women aged less than fifty years, and so represents the second highest reason for sick leave after mental diseases. A socio-professional inequality exists with regard to sick leave during pregnancy: the estimated frequency of sick leave for pregnancy is thirteen times higher in workers than in managers, and seven times higher in employees.