I gave a name to my baby, Ottilie, cherished her future, only for it to be taken away from me. My daughter was lost at 22 weeks and 5 days due to slapped cheek syndrome, a consequence of an extended exposure to parvovirus B19 at a school where I served as a teacher. Despite over 20 children falling ill, my workplace did not prioritize my safety or my unborn child's. I was obligated to work, unknowingly risking the life I was nurturing inside me.

This tragic and personal encounter is not exclusive to me - pregnant women everywhere face similar risks, often unbeknownst to them. Necessary modifications to existing work regulations can ensure that no pregnant woman is checkmated into exposing herself and her unborn child to potential diseases.

 It is imperative to ensure  women are provided adequate safety measures, especially during disease outbreaks. A mother cannot and should not be forced to choose between her employment and the safety of herself and her child.

The law must change. Workplaces must be mandated to send pregnant employees home or provide a secure alternative workspace during a disease outbreak, especially those specifically dangerous to pregnant women. No woman should have to mourn a loss like mine.

Let's employ our collective voices to make establishments take responsibility for the pregnant women in their workforce. Let's champion for change and call for legal amendments that secure the health of our future generation and their courageous mothers. Join hands to endorse this petition today.