Definitions
Working motherhood is the experience of living two identities simultaneously, that of paid worker and that of a mother. According to the World Health Organization (WHO n.d.-a), “health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” This entry focuses on the intersection of working motherhood and health.
Working Motherhood
The working mother is by no means a new phenomenon; poor and working-class mothers have been obligated to work outside of the home to ensure the survival of their families. During World War II, the number of working women increased as housewives were recruited to work in factories for the war effort (McCarthy 2020). This trend continued after the war; women were increasingly working until their first pregnancy and then returning once their children were in school. There was a great demand for female workers in low-paid sectors, although more qualified women could find work in professions...
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Rodriguez, M.A. (2020). Intersection of Working Motherhood and Health. In: Leal Filho, W., Azul, A.M., Brandli, L., Lange Salvia, A., Wall, T. (eds) Gender Equality. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70060-1_114-1
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