Signed off work - what to tell them?

[kkllww]

Hi all,

This is my first post and I was hoping for some advice :)

I'm 7 weeks pregnant and have been signed off work for at least a week due to heavy bleeding. I'm due to have a scan next week and I guess go from there.

My problem is what to tell work? My consultant will sign me off for as long as necessary, but I don't want work to know I'm pregnant until at least 12 weeks if poss - can she just put something very vague in the note, like a 'medical issue' or does she have to be specific?

Has anyone else been or currently in a similar situation?

Thanks!

Could you put gynaecological issues?

It would count against your sickness record though. Pregnancy related sickness doesn't count but I'm guessing work would have to know for that to happen.

I think it is possible for the doctor's note not to be specific (or to be medically obscure!) so you may want to ask for this. However, if you do tell your line manager they should keep it completely confidential until you say you're ready - this can have advantages because sick leave due to pregnancy is treated differently to normal sick leave.

Hope the bleeding settles down soon.

Thanks for your replies both! I didn't know that pregnancy health issues didn't count towards my record, so in that case I should tell my manager and ask him to keep it quiet (he's a complete tool though so I don't entirely trust him!)

Thanks again :)

Doctor's can be vague on sick notes if you really want them to be. Remember - all medical info is confidential.
However, as Pickle said, pregnancy related doesn't count on your sick record. Your boss would have to keep your reason for sickness confidential so only they would know about the pregnancy.

Unless you have an issue with your boss or know that they won't keep it secret then I'd tell them. However I know doctors can keep sick notes vague as I needed one while at uni for a mental health problem and they didn't say anything beyond "for medical reasons".