Hard Work during Pregnancy

Written by: Waheeda Sabir

Pregnancy is a very sensitive time for the mother and her fetus. In this period, the mother might face many problems if they do not pay attention to their health.

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some women and physicians about these problems.

A woman from Takhar province says, “I was doing hard work like lifting heavy sacks of flour and I had aborted my baby but I thought that he was healthy. Later I realized that it was my placenta, not the baby.”

Another woman from Laghman province says, “When I was pregnant, I was baking bread in the oven and I was lifting  heavy objects and I aborted my baby.”

 Doctor Gulnama Noor Sahak, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Rabia Balkhi Hospital in Kabul city says, “Continuous hard work in the first trimester might cause miscarriage and bleed, and in the second trimester it might cause leaking of fluid.”

What do some patients think about the causes of these issues?

A woman from Farza district of Kabul province says, “When I get busy in my house chores, I forget to eat my food, and it makes me feel lethargic.”

A woman from Qarabagh district, Kabul province says, “We carry water in big water drums, and this issue causes us some health problems during pregnancy.”

Doctor Sweta, a gynecologist at one of the private hospitals in Kabul city, talks about the causes of health problems during pregnancy, “Those mothers suffering from high blood pressure, if they lift heavy objects, they might face placental bleeding and placenta abruption. Lifting heavy objects can lead to an increased risk of premature labor and low birth weight. Lifting an object incorrectly, whether heavy or not, can also result in a pulled muscle. A potentially severe complication from heavy lifting is a hernia.”

How do some women solve these problems?

A woman from Ahmad Shahbaba Mena, district 12, Kabul city says, “I have prepared a timetable for my household chores. For example, if I wash clothes this day, I would clean my house the next day and would bake bread in the oven the other day.”

Habibullah, a resident of Chaharasiab district, Kabul province says, “I always help my wife in household chores. When she washes clothes, I bring water for her and spread clothes for drying, and she has not faced any health problems during her pregnancy yet.”

Doctor Gulnama says, “Pregnant women should prepare a timetable for their household chores. They should avoid lifting heavy objects; Eat food and drink water regularly, and go to sleep at least for an hour per day.”