Night shift work might harm pregnant women

After the week eight of pregnancy, women working two or more night shifts per week have a 32 per cent higher risk of miscarriage, a study found.

Source: AAP

Pregnant women who work two or more night shifts per week have an increased risk of miscarriage, a new study has found.

After the eighth week of pregnancy, women working two or more shifts per week have a 32 per cent higher risk of miscarriage compared with women who were not working night shifts.

The authors say women working at night are exposed to artificial light, which disrupts their circadian rhythm and decreases the release of melatonin.

The study was published online in Occupational & Environmental Medicine on Tuesday.