Navigating the Risks of Pregnancy in Veterinary PracticePregnancy is not for the weak of heart, especially when you’re a mixed animal veterinarian. Many people have asked me how I handle the physical requirements of my job during pregnancy. I have also been surprised many times by being asked, “So when are you going to quit working?” This question shocked me; most of my friends and veterinary colleagues worked up until the day they went into labor. I know the intent is to prepare for the baby, but I think I would worry myself into high blood pressure. I think it's better to stay busy and not let the demanding life of motherhood scare me until it's knocking on my door, aka uterus. Every pregnancy for every woman is different, so it’s no surprise that each veterinarian may take different approaches to job risks and hazards during pregnancy. Being a pregnant veterinarian certainly doesn’t come without its challenges. In this blog post, we’re going to discuss those challenges. I’m going to attempt to give advice based on my experiences and the experiences of my colleagues. Do’s and Don’ts of Pregnancy? This is probably an issue with pregnant women in all professions. In the veterinary world, there is a serious lack of practical information available for pregnant women. I’m pretty sure I was secretly hoping that pregnancy came with a manual. Sure, there’s the obvious risks to avoid, like anesthetic gases, taking radiographs (x-rays), not changing litter boxes in the kennel, and veterinary drug dangers (prostaglandins, oxytocin, chemotherapy drugs, insecticides used on cattle, etc.). When you’re a veterinarian that works with large animals, what you should and shouldn’t do gets even more confusing. I must say that just over halfway through my pregnancy, my overall routine at work hasn’t changed a lot. Every woman has to decide for herself what she feels comfortable with, and that may be dictated by pregnancy symptoms she’s experiencing. It can be a tough balance. On one hand, you need to take precautions necessary to protect the health of you and your child. There are no second chances, and one misstep could affect your child for the rest of their life.Your doctor or obstetrician can be a great resource to you on risks to avoid in practice, however, you also have to realize that most obstetricians have very little knowledge of what a veterinarian (particularly a large animal veterinarian) does on a daily basis. The best advice I have received from my doctor is this: If you feel uncomfortable performing certain tasks at work, don’t do it. In other words, trust your instincts! That voice in the back of your head telling you that wrangling that 600-pound calf is a bad idea? It’s probably right! I’m not saying to ALWAYS listen to the voices in your head, but in this case it’s probably okay. Avoid the Internet As Much As Possible This is my advice for any pregnant woman. There are a lot of questions that come up during pregnancy. I have found that the Internet is a scary, scary place for pregnant women. Just ten minutes spent on a pregnancy message board will have you convinced that everything is either going to kill your baby or cause it to grow two heads. Get shocked by an electric fence? The Internet says your baby is definitely going to die. Get scratched by a cat at work? Your baby is probably going to get Toxoplasmosis and die. Get accidentally squirted with some Ivermectin pour-on at work? Your baby is going to be brain damaged. Instead of seeking advice on the Internet, I have opted to ask my doctor these questions instead. Doctors have a way of easing your mind with practical advice based on research, scientific facts, and years of experience. The things the Internet convinces you are crises are probably not a concern. Just step away from the computer screen (unless you’re reading my blog). And for the love of God, do NOT Google “video of childbirth.” Avoid Injury This is a tricky one for a large animal veterinarian. Again, my routine in working with large animals hasn’t changed a lot as of yet. My advice here is to not feel like you have to cowboy everything. If you get into a situation with an unruly animal, don’t be afraid to use sedation (or chemical restraint as I like to call it). It’s relatively inexpensive to sedate an animal, and most clients don’t mind. If a client calls you and wants to rope an animal in the barn, send a non-pregnant colleague on that call or tell the client to call you once they have caught the animal themselves. It’s not a veterinarian’s job to catch animals in poor facilities, but we often make it our job. Use that opportunity to educate your client and encourage them to invest in safer facilities. While having this conversation with one of my clients, I was told it was my fault I was pregnant, and it wasn’t his problem to make safer facilities at his farm. Of course, you will occasionally run into people like this in practice, but most clients and colleagues will be quite accommodating. It’s important to remember that no man or woman is a match for a 1,000+ pound animal. Handling these animals safely requires forethought, good facilities, and skill (pregnant or not). I have found that being in good physical shape before and during pregnancy has (so far) helped my ability to keep up my strength and continue to work with livestock. I have been criticized often for continuing to work with cattle and horses during pregnancy, usually by people who know nothing about my profession (and probably not a whole lot about pregnancy, either). You will be criticized no matter what decisions you make. You simply have to make the decisions that YOU feel comfortable with. Having been an athlete, I’m also quite used to listening to my body and knowing when to stop before I get too fatigued. I’m sure the time will come when I have to scale back my large animal work and rely more on colleagues. Meanwhile, I’ll still enjoy my time outdoors, the added exercise, and my work with producers. Don’t Be Bullied! Unfortunately, some women in our profession face unsympathetic colleagues or coworkers, pushing them to perform tasks during pregnancy they don’t feel comfortable with. I have been very fortunate to work with men and women that see pregnancy as a gift to be protected, not a burden. However, many pregnant veterinarians often need to defend the decisions they make during pregnancy. Communication (which is the next item on my list) is so important here. Don’t be afraid to stand your ground and speak up when you don’t feel comfortable performing certain tasks. It’s ultimately your job to protect your baby, inside and outside the womb. During pregnancy, many veterinarians may find that the biggest bullies in their practice are themselves. A colleague of mine puts it this way, “I keep telling myself to quit doing things like picking up 60-pound dogs, but it’s just easier than admitting I need someone to help I guess.” This is probably more of a problem in our profession than actually being bullied by other people. Most people in the field of veterinary medicine tend to be fairly empathetic with others yet overly expectant of ourselves, and during pregnancy we may feel like an inconvenience. I pride myself on my hard work, so I understand this dilemma. It’s hard to admit when you need help or when you can’t do something. It’s okay to ask for help, and most people are more than willing. Communication! As veterinarians, we hear all the time how important communication is in practice. This doesn’t change during pregnancy. Working in our profession, you’re often forced to tell people at work the news before you’re really ready due to certain precautions you have to take. I recommend telling at least a few people in your practice whom you trust early on, like as soon as you find out. It’s not easy sharing such personal information so early, but it can help you avoid workplace hazards if your team is educated. If your coworkers are observant like mine, it probably won’t take them long to figure it out anyway, so you might as well go ahead and divulge. It’s also important to communicate that even though team members may have to be flexible during your pregnancy, that you want to remain a productive member of the team, either through actions or words. You may think that’s stating the obvious, but some team members may need to be reassured. Keep the lines of communication open. Bottom line, pregnancy should be a time of joy and should certainly be respected. One of the most important things in pregnancy is to feel comfortable with your decisions. Standing by those decisions will give you the confidence of knowing you took care of your baby in the best way possible. It’s also important to realize that the veterinary profession is not a death sentence for your baby. My doctor has reassured me of this countless times. I think most of us pregnant veterinarians somehow manage to find a happy medium between paranoid mania and reckless disregard.
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Jessica Stroupe, DVM
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August 2017
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