I had my third miscarriage in 2005 and was absolutely devastated by it. It has taken me over 2 and a half years to feel ready to try again.

Just as we have started trying, my Employer has decided to have a Departmental Restructure and is insisting I do a job which I consider to be dangerous and which would put me at risk. I have explained to my Director that my husband and I are trying for a baby again and that I have lost 3 pregnancies in the past and I have asked for them to consider me for a less stressful area because of the risks.

He has just said that they do risk assessments for pregnant women and has dismissed me saying that the company are acting reasonable.

I pointed out that they did not do a risk assessment last time I was pregnant and I lost the baby, but he wasn't interested.

My GP has signed me off work with work-related stress but i just don't see how this is going to be resolved. I have spoken to the Health & safety Executive and have been provided with legislation to quote but my employer just isn't interested and my union have done nothing to help either.

Feel very upset and alone at the moment,

H

Hi hun,

I'm having similar problems with work, been off sick with depression since my 2nd m/c and my employer has been completely unsympathetic. My husband works at the same place and they stopped him coming to the hospital with me when it happened so I had to go thru losing our baby alone. We've complained til we're blue in the face but no-one (including our union) seems to want to help. Got pregnant again in July and asked for a move to office duties (work in a electronics factory) as we work with lead solder and solvents and there's some lifting involved in my job. Was obviously worried I would miscarry again but they refused to do anything to help and quoted the same s**t about risk assessments. I miscarried anyway unfortunately but am still off work and they still won't do anything to alleviate my worries regarding the kind of job I do even tho we're still trying to get pregnant again. Am considering resigning now as the stress is making me more ill but have written letters of complaint to my factory manager and my union as a last ditch attempt to get them to do something to help me. So sorry you're coming up against the same attitude, will let you know if complaining gets results or I find any other info that might help, just thought it might help knowing there's someone else in the same boat. Take care,

love, Clare xxx

How can people be so cruel and thoughtlss? It just beggars belief.

I just don't think it's good enough that Employers have to do a risk assessment at some point... I haven't found anything that says WHEN it should be done. I lost all my babies early on so my employer deciding to do a risk assessment in the 2nd trimester doesn't help me.

Maybe I should set up one of those petitions on the Government website asking for them to make employers do a risk assessment when people are trying for a baby, in the first weeks of pregnancy and also if they have miscarried as well.

That is awful that your employer wouldn't let your husband come to the hospital - Maybe you should threaten them with the press. Don't think they'd like that kind of publicity.

I emailed the miscarriage association yesterday to see if they had any information I could give to my employer as they seem to think I'm making it up that stress has now been proved to be linked with early miscarriage. They were really nice and said that they would get the Director to give me a ring next week.

I'll let you know if they say they can help in anyway coz they might be able to help you too.

Anyway, here's hoping to happy healthy pregnanies soon.

Thanks for listening to me xxxxx

I've just been on the Govt website and set up a petition. Hopefully they will approve it and put on their website.

Petition states "We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to place a duty on employers to carry out a risk assessment for women trying to conceive"

Will let you know if they set it up!

It's a disgrace that our employers care so little but it doesn't sound like either of us is gonna take it lying down, maybe they picked on the wrong people this time! Hope they go with your petition, might just do the trick if the government will back us up. Had the same problems with convincing my work that stress is linked with m/c, got accused of making excuses for not coming back to work when I told them that. I've had enough now and really don't want to go back there at all so not really worth me pursuing it but pretty sure if you can get your GP to write a letter or report stating the potential risks of both stress and your specific job they will have to do something to help you. Know you want to keep your job but we have to stand up for ourselves and the laws surrounding pregnancy discrimination are clear. Your employer must make reasonable adjustments for you when you're pregnant and, if you took it as far as an employment tribunal, I'm sure a decent solicitor could make a case that these adjustments should be made for women in our circumstances too. I've lost all trust in my employer over this and it's looking like a have a case for constructive unfair dismissal now cos they've made me feel too scared to go back. Know that's not the route you want to go but the threat might be enough to make them listen!

Don't know who you're dealing with from your union but if it's just your shop steward it might be worth contacting your branch office cos they sometimes have a bit more clout. ACAS are always worth a ring as well and they can sometimes come in and negotiate with your employer on your behalf. Hope you manage to get it sorted, let me know if I can do anything to help.

Lotsa love, Clare xxx

I think I will give ACAS a ring on Monday and I've just spoken to my friend at work and she said she will ring the Union branch on Monday and try and get someone from there to come and meet up with us to see if they can help me.

Your employer sounds like they have the same ignorant attitudes as mine.

Let me know how you get on

H xx

I have emailed the Health and Safety Exec and they say that once you notify your employer they should do a risk assessment 'immediately'

I have also emailed the Miscarriage Association and they provided me with a link to some research they have commissioned which was published in BJOG International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in February 2007.

The link to the article is http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1111/-j.1471-0528.2006.01193.x

Both HSE and the Miscarriage Association have been really helpful.

H xx

had some family hassles so not done any digging of my own, will check that out sounds like we might finally have some back-up! You're a star for doin the research, sorry I havent had time with everything thats been going on, haven't even logged on here for days was getting withdrawals! Hope things are ok with you, speak soon,

love, Clare xxx

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Just hope some of it does some good. Might lobby the MP too if an election is announced!