Sociodemographic perspectives on pregnant women at work

In this article, we review trends in the employment of American women in both the civilian labor force and the military over the course of the 20th century, with a particular emphasis given to the years after World War II. The occupational distribution of women in the civilian labor force and in the military is examined with consideration given to the hazards these female-dominated jobs may pose for workers. Finally, we briefly discuss several simple steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of occupational hazards to women's health while remaining within the federal legislative mandates granting women full access to employment.