A maternity protection approach for the University

The analysis of the normative Italian situation about occupied women and their children during the principal phases of the maternity process - pregnancy, recently given birth (puerperium), return to work, breastfeeding or seeking to breastfeed after return to work - evidences a great quantity of legislative documents, both in the private than in the public sector. The theme of maternity protection and occupational safety, during the above phases, has been analysed in the present work, focusing on a typical higher education institution such as the University, in order to give some practical indication to improve the social impact of the process.