Working as a vet or vet tech during pregnancy

What does the evidence say about working as a veterinarian or vet tech during pregnancy?

1. MotherToBaby lists anesthetic gases, ionizing radiation, medications, pesticides, cleaning agents, animal-transmitted infections, lifting, and shift work among veterinary workplace hazards that need task-specific assessment. 1
2. MotherToBaby states that modern scavenging equipment and proper techniques are not expected to raise miscarriage or birth-defect risk from occupational inhaled anesthetics, unlike concerns raised by older high-exposure studies. 2
3. A prospective study of veterinary staff exposed to inhaled anesthetics or X-rays did not find more major malformations than matched controls, though the study was modest in size. 3
4. A survey study found an association between unscavenged anesthetic-gas exposure and preterm delivery among female veterinarians, supporting attention to scavenging and workplace controls. 4
5. Veterinary workers report potential exposures to anesthetic gas, X-rays, pesticides, zoonoses, trauma, and other hazards, which vary by practice type and job task. 5

Is working as a veterinarian or vet tech safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. Early pregnancy is a useful time to identify animal-handling, medication, radiation, and infection duties that may need changes while fetal organs develop.
• Second trimester. In the second trimester, review whether ventilation, radiation procedures, protective equipment, lifting, and cage-cleaning assignments match the exposure plan.
• Third trimester. Later pregnancy can make lifting, restraint, balance, and prolonged standing harder. Ask about task modification before an injury or exposure occurs.