Pregnant women working night shifts have higher risk for miscarriage

Editor's Note

Pregnant women who work two night shifts per week have a heightened risk for miscarriage after pregnancy week 8, this Danish study finds.

Of 22,744 pregnant women analyzed, 2 or more night shifts the previous week increased the risk of miscarriage after pregnancy week 8 (hazard ratio, 1.32). The number of night shifts and number of consecutive night shifts during pregnancy weeks 3-21 showed a dose-dependent increased risk.

The findings increase the knowledge about the effect of night work on working pregnant women as well as their employers, physicians, and midwives, the authors say.