Protective Medical Legislation: Deficient knowledge of Maternity (Health and Safety) Rights for work-adjustment exists amongst flexible trainee doctors: Is there a risk to maternal and foetal health?

ObjectiveTo assess awareness, identify knowledge source and evaluate uptake amongst doctors of “health and safety rights” (HSR) contained within the current European protective medical legislation for pregnant workers.Study designA descriptive cross-sectional pilot study, by a postal questionnaire during the period 1998–1999, targeted 97 UK doctors (West Midlands region) after their first pregnancy.ResultsOf 67 respondents (response rate 73%), 41 (61%) were Registrars (SpR) and 25 (37%) SHOs: 80% work-schedules did not change during pregnancy. Only 11% (95% CI, 4–21%) of the doctors surveyed actually knew their maternity rights. 66.2% had no knowledge of maternity legislation; 80% of respondents had not taken up health and safety rights. Fifty-two percent (95% CI, 40–65%) reported maternal and neonatal complications.ConclusionsIn a self-selected group of flexible trainees following their first pregnancy, only one in five female doctors have adequate knowledge about the legislative “health and safety rights” of work-schedule adjustment. A combination of reasons may contribute to the low uptake of these rights. The question of whether or not poor knowledge and uptake of legislative rights may be detrimental towards pregnancy and neonatal complications requires a large prospective study. An improvement in the knowledge of current maternity legislation could occur by targeting all medical students, all doctors, postgraduate trainers and National Health Service (NHS) employers.