Several pregnant women working in private companies have demanded reduction of working hours during their pregnancy. They argue it is a difficult period for women and private companies must be forced to give them holidays when required. Maha Ahmad, who works at a private company, said she suffered miscarriage because she was exhausted at work. “I've been working at the company for five years, and when I got pregnant and wanted a holiday, the section supervisor refused saying there was too much work.” The company “took years from me and did not give me anything.” Maha said she was often exhausted because she had to work in the early days of pregnancy. “I fainted and fell on the ground at the office. I woke up after being treated by the Red Crescent to find out the foetus was lost.” Abeer Khaled, who has worked in computer industry for four years, said her company does not consider the effects of her pregnancy on her capacity to work. “It does not differentiate between pregnant women and others. In terms of work, it requires pregnant women do the same tasks as male employees who receive higher salaries and financial incentives.” Maryam Khaled, a private company employee is two-month's pregnant. “I demand my working hours be reduced and the workload mitigated even if it means cut in my salary. The work I do requires physical effort and affects my back. The physiological changes during pregnancy makes it difficult for women to work,” she said. Medical studies show that about 80 percent of women go through difficult physiological and nervous phase during pregnancy and menstruation. In most cases the symptoms are light or medium, but in some women they are severe and can affect the women's activities.
