“I was told I either came back or I lost my job”: a qualitative study of the experiences of Australian women navigating the return-to-work following early pregnancy loss

Abstract

ABSTRACT Early pregnancy loss, defined as pregnancy loss prior to 20 weeks’ gestation, occurs in about one in five pregnancies. Although there has been research on women’s experiences of healthcare and social support following miscarriage, research into workplace support is relatively limited. In this study, we explored women’s experiences of returning to work following early pregnancy loss, drawing on data from semi-structured interviews with 13 Australian women. Thematic analysis generated three main themes: returning to work too soon, decisions about disclosure and the importance of a flexible workplace. Findings revealed that return to work can be a difficult process to navigate, with many reporting feeling pressured to return to work. While disclosure of their miscarriage enabled women to feel supported by their colleagues and connect to those with a similar experience, they often found disclosure challenging. Flexibility with leave, return-to-work arrangements and role adjustments were highly valued and helped women return to work. Findings revealed that workplace context and culture were important in the extent to which women felt supported by their workplace. This suggests that there may be a need for structural workplace changes to improve women's experiences of returning to work following early pregnancy loss.