Just found out I'm pregnant and I work ...

[Springawake]

Hello just a bit of advice really ,

I've just found out I'm pregnant. It was a lovely surprise 🤣

My question relates to working . I work in a retail environment where I come into contact with a lot of people on a daily basis. I wear a mask and gloves but I'm wondering how safe it really is for me to be going to work ?

I've tried to find out what the government guidelines say and all I can see if something about vulnerable people can go back to work by 1st August and pregnancy classes as vulnerable .

But it is giving me a lot of anxiety as I no the scientists are not entirely sure how COVID 19 effects pregnancy. Because as like everything else we are all new to this situation.

Thank you in advance

I know pregnant women were being shielded think if they had heart conditions? Not sure what current guidance is now. Would you feel comfortable telling line manager?

don't think its supposed to be an issue until the 3rd trimester. Your employer should do a risk assessment to see how working there will affect your pregnancy

Pregnancy didn't fall into the shielding category. Therefore you'd struggle to not go to work, and keep your job unfortunately. Pregnant people have been working in retail throughout, so I do think your management wouldn't take too kindly. However you need to perhaps speak to a doctor and see what the official advice is.

I don't see why you wouldn't be able to work. I have friends who are pregnant and have carried on as before.

I'd be worried about no income for 9 months if you aren't working

My midwife said that if you had heart conditions and was over 28 weeks pregnant they recommend you to stay at home and shield, other than that she said just take extra precautions like PPE, distancing and hand sanitiser

www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/coronavirus-pregnancy/covid-19-virus-infection-and-pregnancy/

I'm trying to find the answer to this too. I've just found out I'm expecting (another lovely surprise) but not sure whether to tell employer? I'm happy to carry on at work as it's not customer facing and I have my own office so I can social distance without any issue, so do I even need to tell them at all until I am ready?

As far as I know pregnant women only had to shield with heart conditions

I’m pregnant too and unfortunately the advice is you should be more “careful” which in a practice means you have no extra rights nor protection afforded to you.

There's so much confusion and misinformation about this! The current guidance is that all pregnant women are vulnerable and should take extra care with social distancing, and work from home "where possible". www.gov.uk/government/publications/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing/staying-alert-and-safe-social-distancing-after-4-july

Women in the third trimester are in the next level up, 'Extremely vulnerable' / shielding.

As of the 1st August, those in the 'extremely vulberable' / shielding category are advised that they can return to the workplace but only if it's "Covid secure" and should continue working from home is possible. www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

Ignore the RCOG guidance - that is for women who work in healthcare.

Obviously as you work in retail, it's difficult to know what you can realistically do from home. It's worth pressuring your employer to do as much as possible to make it safe for you though, and be aware of your rights. I am always amazed by these threads, at how much misinformation is out there!

I would tell your employer ASAP so they can do a risk assessment. I am currently 24 weeks pregnant and will be teaching in a secondary school in September when I will be 30 weeks pregnant. I have to go in as I can't work from home, even though I am in my final trimester.

Thank you for the replies .

Sorry I should of worded it better I want to be able to stay in work I really enjoy my job and I don't want to have to take time off and stay at home .

So I'm really glad that it doesn't seem to affect me being pregnant going to work . That's a relief !

I no a few girls in work who are pregnant have been shielding but they must have underlying health conditions as well

@MissHoney85 i don't think you are giving out the correct info. You are only classed as extremely vulnerable in the third trimester if you also have a severe pre-existing medical condition. all pregnant women otherwise are vulnerable, you just need to pay "particular attention" to social distancing after 28 weeks - www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/coronavirus-pregnancy/covid-19-virus-infection-and-pregnancy/#coronavirus

RCOG info is for health care workers and non health care workers, as stated in the attached www.nhs.uk/start4life/pregnancy/coronavirus-covid19-advice-during-pregnancy/

@Whiffle77 I stand corrected, it's the RCOG guidance that says women in the third trimester should be "particularly attentive to social distancing". Their general guidance is for non-healthcare workers too, but the occupational health for employers advice that lots of people refer to is specifically for healthcare workers.

Being 'Vulnerable' still entails a right to work from home where possible and extra safety measures from your employer however. I don't think it's unreasonable to equate and extra layer or protection beyond that with 'shielding'.

MissHoney85

"There's so much confusion and misinformation about this!"
Yes there is, and you are contributing to it unfortunately - several incorrect points in your post.

"Women in the third trimester are in the next level up, 'Extremely vulnerable' / shielding."
This is absolutely not true. Pregnant women In the third trimester are in the "vulnerable" category only (not "extremely vulnerable" or shielding) like women at any other stage of pregnancy. The only pregnant women who would be in the "extremely vulnerable" or shielding category are those with "significant heart disease". Source:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19#who-this-guidance-is-for

"Ignore the RCOG guidance - that is for women who work in healthcare."
Please do not ignore the RCOG guidance. There is a lot of helpful guidance for all pregnant women. They have also published specific advice for pregnant women who work in healthcare.

@NameChange30 see my post above - if all pregnant women are vulnerable and women in the third trimester are a level beyond that, I don't think it's unreasonable to classify them as 'extremely vulnerable' in the absence of a 'very vulnerable' category. As for the RCOG guidance, yes I worded that poorly, but a lot of people quote the healthcare specific guidance as being applicable to everyone.

The guidance is very unclear (like most of the government's messaging) but I find in posts like this a lot of misunderstanding that doesn't seem to be drawn from any of the documentation - I suspect most of it is coming from employers' mouths and people are not questioning it. Ultimately it's down to individual choice and interpretation but it's important to know what you are entitled to.

"if all pregnant women are vulnerable and women in the third trimester are a level beyond that, I don't think it's unreasonable to classify them as 'extremely vulnerable' in the absence of a 'very vulnerable' category."

So you're just making up your own category now?

There are two categories and clear lists of the conditions that apply for each one.

The only difference in the third trimester is that we are supposed to be even more careful about social distancing, but we don't have to shield.

No, the list of Extremely Vulnerable people is not exhaustive - it lists people who 'may' be extremely vulnerable. I'm not saying it's clear, as I said it's down to your own interpretation and choice. However, I think there's a danger of making it seem like the risk is only in the third trimester when that's not true. What is clear is that all pregnant women are Vulnerable and therefore entitled to work from home if possible, or extra safety measures if not possible.

And by the way no one is saying anyone "has" to shield. It's ultimately up to individual choice. The point is that the rights are there if you want them.

This thread confuses me! The guidelines are clear re clinical vulnerability and pregnancy, but there seem to be swathes of people trying to put themselves into the category of ‘shielding’ where there is not an additional medical need to do so.

Maintain social distancing, practice good hand hygiene, work from home if you can, take more care in the third trimester.

Employers should be completing a risk assessment for pregnant staff anyway, but even more so now that we’re in the middle of a pandemic.

Misshoney you need to stop giving out incorrect info.

I told my employee at 5 weeks. Lasted 6 hours until I was sent home due to a company risk assessment placing all pregnant colleagues under medical suspension. This was 4 weeks ago? Unfortunately I’ve had a missed miscarriage but ultimately the government gives the guidelines (which for me, at the time, said I could carry on as normal up to 28 weeks) & the employer decides how to go ahead. I am very grateful that my employer appears to be putting safety before anything, but i do believe it would have stopped August 1st, as they were reviewing every 4 weeks anyway.

@MissHoney85

And by the way no one is saying anyone "has" to shield. It's ultimately up to individual choice. The point is that the rights are there if you want them.

There is no "right" to shield though, I really don't understand where you are getting your info. Whilst you are entitled to be safe at work (at any time, regardless of pandemics or pregnancies) there is nothing that grants a "right to shield" if you are pregnant with no other health issues. No one has said the risk is only in the third trimester, everyone has said that pregnant people are vulnerable all the way through. You're really over complicating it without linking what you are saying back to any of the advice or guidelines. You shouldn't be misleading people.

Hello! I also work in retail & im currently 22 weeks pregnant. I asked my midwife at my last appointment if it was true that pregnant women in their 3rd trimester should self isolate & was told that yes, this was true.