Female workers are subject to problems unknown to their male counterparts and which could, if preventive measures were taken, be greatly reduced. The problems include menstrual disorders which may reduce a woman's concentration and make her accident-prone, and which can be exacerbated by inadequate sanitary facilities geared to the specific needs of a woman during menstruation; prolapse of the uterus which seriously impairs a woman is working capacity and is exacerbated by the heavy postnatal physical work common to farmers and peasants; inflammatory disorders of the small pelvis which can result from tight fitting clothes or chemical pollution of the working environment; gynaecological tumours which may be caused by occupational carcinogenic substances; deformities of the pelvis and lumbar spinal column caused by extreme physical stress during pregnancy; neuro-endocrine disorders linked with the unique responsibilities of women – outside employment, household duties, and possibility motherhood as well; and the recent discoveries that video display units may cause pregnancy disorders and that work involved in creating microchips can lead to miscarriages.
Prevention of overstrain and damage to health of working women could be realized if adequate emphasis was given to socio-political considerations (labour protection laws, childcare provisions); working conditions (pre-employment medical examinations to determine job suitability, perhaps an adjusted work rhythm); and domestic considerations.