Night shift work during pregnancy linked to child developmental risks

A study published in the medical journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine suggests that expectant mothers who work night shifts throughout pregnancy face a higher risk of having children with developmental problems.

Analyzing data from 31,528 working mothers and their children in Japan, researchers from Kyushu University found that four-year-olds whose mothers worked night shifts during pregnancy showed a 34 per cent higher risk of fine motor difficulties, a 29 per cent higher risk of communication problems, and a 31 per cent higher risk of social development difficulties.

In contrast, the study noted that babies born to women who stopped working night shifts during pregnancy did not show a statistically significant increase in developmental risk. The findings have prompted calls for improved workplace policies, particularly for nurses and caregivers, to provide greater flexibility and opportunities to switch to daytime work during pregnancy.

This research builds on previous studies that have linked night shift work to increased risks of miscarriage, premature birth, gestational diabetes, and pre-eclampsia.