Abstract
The current human capital task force constitutes of an increased number of female workers. What is notable is that as much as the female workers are playing a part in the development of their countries and their selves, certain conditions in the workplace seem to weigh a toll on their family lives. In this sense, fertility issues come into play, and it is often attributed to the erratic working conditions that female workers are subjected. This is a concerning trend given that irregularities that arise from their work patterns may limit their chances of becoming parents this is as far as their fertility status is concerned. This research paper addresses the fertility issues that amount from the female task force by addressing literature present on the topic together with a study that was carried out on a pool of female respondents.
Section One- Introduction
This study was based on the need to find answers regarding the relationship between variables that were significant to this particular research. The variables were meant to draw how erratic work patterns related to the fertility status of a pool of women. The independent variables were the age of the women in question together with the work duration that the said women indulged in in their day to day lives. The dependent variables made note of the fertility status of the women that were part of the study. To some extent, the relationship situation of the survey respondents could be considered in the context of the dependent variables. The study variables were deemed to be of importance for the further analysis of the truthfulness of the hypothesis. The number of hours worked by the respondents would help in the determination of the area of focus in the women also indicating their relationship status and ages. The ages of the women and hours worked could not be controlled by the researcher, but they, however, played a role in being the determining factors of the dependent variables, in the strictest sense.
Purpose of the study
This study’s primary aim is to determine the working correlation between working hours and infertility in women. This is so given the number of female workers who are recorded to having challenges when it comes to having children.
Significance of the study
The study mentioned above had significance because what is available in the literature concerning the chapter of correlating infertility in women and their work patterns is rather limited. There is a looming concern given the inability of rigor in previously done studies and so such concerns prompted this study and many studies that are yet to come.
Research scope
The study was conducted in women of different; ages, work patterns, relationship status and those who have had a fair share of differences of fertility issues. The respondents were drawn from a sample size of twenty who participated in a survey that was conducted online by the Survey Monkey. The study had both independent and dependent variables where the former included both the ages of the time worked and the ages of the women in question and the formerly included fertility and the relationship status therein. Information analysis was made possible by drawing conclusion and information from the pie charts and graphs that represented the variables of the study.
Limitations of the study
Data representation was however not conclusive given that sound conclusions could not be ascertained given that data collected was not progressing in a particular direction. The data could not follow through on one component of the variables, i.e., the women who in fact, worked more hours and in so doing, the actual fertility challenges that were drawn from this particular group of women. The same was not done for those who work for fewer hours and as a result data representation was somehow impaired. Both internal and external validities experienced threats. External validity was compromised by having less number of respondents whose results cannot wholly be a representative of the population thus bringing in the idea of sampling errors. Internal validity was compromised in such a manner that certain information drawn from the relationship of the variables could not be noted. The fact that some respondents skipped some issues shows a possible loophole in the instrumentation procedure.
Assumptions
The assumptions in the studies concerning circadian rhythm and menstrual function were majorly based on probabilities.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis of this study was that women who work greater than forty hours a week have a harder time to conceive compared to those women who work fewer hours. Any irregular work pattern is associated with an increased risk of fertility complications, irregular menstrual cycles, and miscarriage.
Definition of terms
Erratic work patterns refer to those work patterns that constitute work schedules that are of nonstandard working times.
Section Two- Literature Review
There exist some rich literature that has attempted to draw a relationship between working hours and the factors that relate to fertility and in this case, menstrual cycles, miscarriages, and infant deaths are considered. The research question that is important in this study is that erratic work patterns possess higher miscarriage risks, irregular periods and fertility issues.
Such like studies have been conducted by Chavarro, Hibert and Schernhammer (2015) whose research work was meant to draw the relationship between work schedules together with physically demanding work and menstrual function. The outcome of their research was that results there was a possibility that the role for night work for instance together with long hours of working and physically challenging labor were key players in menstrual cycle disturbances. The implication of the study was that the above occurrence promoted the advent of subfertility issues. The authors’ study was the first in the determination of the effects of both rotating and the non-rotating working night shifts and whether they had similar results. The hypothesis of the authors as mentioned above’ study was that any given change in the circadian rhythms, for instance, disturbances in sleeping patterns or any form of alteration in melatonin production which had a possible role in the regulation of the reproductive hormones which regulated the menstrual cycle.
Research by Gamble, Resuehr, and Johnson (2013) also correlates shift work both night and rotating shifts (which adds to the irregularity in job practice patterns, erratic working patterns) to fertility issues. Such matters included irregular menstrual patterns, infertility, and endometriosis, miscarriage together with low birth weight and pre-term delivery instances, plus reduced breastfeeding cases. The research by the authors’ points to the disturbances in the circadian rhythm which has an effect that is integral in the regulation of the reproductive system. Nicholas (2008) also note that the endocrine system becomes impaired in the advent of the disturbance of the circadian rhythm.
According to Attarchi, Darkhi and Kashanian (2013), the authors indicated the relationship between shift work and menstrual cycle in female workers. The authors acknowledge the fact that with the current Industrialization, shift work has become prompted. They also noted that the menstrual pattern disturbance was higher in shift workers than that of the fixed day and was workers considered an essential indicator of the reproductive health. Research by Radowicka, Pietrzak, and Wielgos (2013) conveys similar results concerning the relationship between menstrual cycle and lower fertility rate, abortions, preterm deliveries and an infant body mass that is rather lower, drawn from respondents who were flight attendants. The results revealed that the possible reasons for the occurrence, and one primary reason was the flight attendants’ way of life which was rather irregular.
The research by Stocker et al., (2014) mentioned similar information like the information captured by authors who are quoted above. They indicated that irregular menstrual cycle pattern might further affect fertility, may cause early pregnancy loss, and could go ahead to cause chronic diseases. An increase in the risk of endometriosis among the female nurses under study was associated with infertility, and similar fashion of data was notable during evaluation of women who have had a previous assessment for infertility. This was according to research done by Schernhammer et al., (2011).
Limitations in current research
According to Chavarro, Hibert and Schernhammer (2015), small sample size and the number of women exposed to the key study variables is limited thus compromising on the rigor of the research.
Future Research
Future research could determine if the interventions to maintain a regular working pattern would, in turn, result in an improvement in menstrual function which would have effect subfertility. Future research can narrow down into the length of the duration that is termed as being an extended period with more information in that sense given that the available literature tackles shift and rotation work but does not give mentioning of other variables within the shift, rotation work and the irregularity experienced by women task force.
Section Three- Research Methodology
The study was carried out in an online platform where respondents visited the site in rather random time frames. The participants were drawn from multiple walks of life, and the women have in fact had their fair share of issues concerning matters fertility. The ages of the respondents ranged from ages 20 to above 40 years old. The respondents had the various relationship backgrounds i.e. whether they were single, married, divorced, etc. The survey involved the participants in the sense that they logged into an online survey platform via a link that was provided, here, they would give answers to questions without having to note their name identification. The essence of this was to ensure that the survey was done in a confidential manner as possible by protecting the respondents’ privacies and their respective identities; this was done to make sure the process maintained an ethical standing.
The study involved answering questions present in an online questionnaire that was meant to determine the following information from the respondents; their age ranges, the number of hours they worked per week, whether they had carried pregnancies before plus the number of times that those who have been pregnant before, had been pregnant. In addition to those questions, the respondents responded to the following queries as well; whether they had given birth to infants or if they have had miscarriages plus the number of the pregnancy failures if they existed. Other questions included whether they had been unsuccessful in getting pregnant and if at the time of the study, they were trying to get pregnant. Other issues wanted to determine their work life balance and if they, in fact, had a clue if their work life weighed a toll on them being pregnant.
Data, after the completion of the survey, was retrieved from the database that stored the feedbacks from the respondents. The information was majorly tabulated in the form of graphical representation formats like pie charts, bar charts, and percentages.
Section Four- Results
Section Five- Discussions, Conclusions and Recommendations
The outcome of the research points out precious raw data in as far as the variables that were assessed is concerned. The tabulated data gives surface information on the variables under study provided the percentages that had been noted. The tabulated outcome portrays information at a glance which is rather compromised given the limitations as earlier mentioned. In summary, while looking at the research question and the hypothesis, finer linking details cannot be well arrived at, and this brings in the idea of the recommendations that are stated below.
I recommend a further study into the variables in the sense that a link can be determined by the variables assessed and that a flow of information obtained from research can be attained and in so doing, rigor would be felt. A look into the area of further study is recommended as well.
It is crucial to note that further improvement in such as an education is achievable with notes being taken from the recommendation sections and the sections that push for a further study to address loopholes and disconnect noted in previous studies.
Appendix A
Age range Choices Responses
20-30 Single, Never Married 7
20-30 Committed Relationship 3
20-30 Married 0
20-30 Divorced 0
30-40 Single, Never Married 4
30-40 Committed Relationship 2
30-40 Married 5
30-40 Divorced 1
40 and Up Single, Never Married 0
40 and Up Committed Relationship 0
40 and Up Married 0
40 and Up Divorced 1
Appendix B
Yes 73.91%
No 26.09%
Appendix C
No 86.96%
Yes 8.70%
I don’t want any children 4.35%
Appendix D
20-30 4.35%
30-40 39.13%
40 and Up 47.83%
Unemployed 8.70%
References
Attarchi, M., Darkhi, H., & Kashanian, M. (2013). Characteristics of the menstrual cycle in shift workers. Global journal of health science, 5(3), 163.
Chavarro, J. E., Hibert, E. N. L., & Schernhammer, E. S. (2015). Work schedule and physically demanding work in relation to menstrual function: the Nurses' Health Study 3. Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health, 41(2), 194.
Gamble, K. L., Resuehr, D., & Johnson, C. (2013). Shift work and circadian dysregulation of reproduction. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 4, 92.
Nicholas, L. J. (2008). Introduction to psychology. Cape Town: UCT Press.
Radowicka, M., Pietrzak, B., & Wielgos, M. (2013). Assessment of the occurrence of menstrual disorders in female flight attendants–preliminary report and literature review. Neuroendocrinology Letters, 34(8), 809-813.
Schernhammer, E. S., Vitonis, A. F., Rich-Edwards, J., & Missmer, S. A. (2011). Rotating night shift work and the risk of endometriosis in premenopausal women. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 205(5), 476-e1.
Stocker, L. J., Macklon, N. S., Cheong, Y. C., & Bewley, S. J. (2014). Influence of shift work on early reproductive outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 124(1), 99-110.
