Working During/After Pregnancy

As long as you and your baby are healthy and your job presents no special hazards, you should be able to work as long as you want. In certain situations, you may need to give up certain tasks or transfer to another position until after the baby is born.

Most women are physically able to return to work six weeks after a vaginal delivery and eight weeks following a cesarean section. In the rare event that you experience a pregnancy, delivery, or postpartum complication, the disability time may need to be extended.

According to the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA), “eligible” employees are able to take off up to 12 work weeks in any 12 month period for the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a family member, or if the employees themselves have a serious health condition. However, the employer is not required to pay the employee for this time off. The twelve weeks include prenatal and postpartum care.

Most pregnancies are not disabling. For some women, pregnancy could become a disability if problems arise. There are two types of pregnancy-related disabilities:

• Disability caused by the pregnancy itself: some symptoms of pregnancy may cause short-term or partial disability. Giving birth also causes short-term disability (six weeks for vaginal delivery, eight weeks for cesarean section).
• Disability caused by pregnancy complications: more severe problems or conditions you had before getting pregnant may worsen during pregnancy and cause longer disability.

We are happy to complete any FMLA and/or disability forms that are required by your employer. Please mail, fax, or bring the forms with you to your appointment. The forms will be returned to you at your next scheduled appointment.

With regard to disability, we will specify the length of disability as follows:

• Uncomplicated vaginal delivery: six weeks
• Uncomplicated cesarean section: eight weeks

Unless documented complicating factors occur, we are unable to extend the disability any longer than stated above. If complications occur during the pregnancy or postpartum period, we will alter the time of disability as necessary.