In what is reported to be the first bill of its kind worldwide, the New Zealand parliament has passed a bill granting mothers and their partners three days of bereavement leave following a miscarriage or stillbirth.
The bill, introduced by Labour MP Ginny Andersen, allows three days of leave following the end of a pregnancy as a result of miscarriage or stillbirth, and applies to mothers, their partners, and parents planning a child through adoption or surrogacy.
“I felt that it would give women the confidence to be able to request that leave if it was required, as opposed to just being stoic and getting on with life, when they knew that they needed time, physically or psychologically, to get over the grief,” Andersen was quoted as saying.
“Final reading of my Bereavement Leave for Miscarriage Bill. This is a Bill about workers’ rights and fairness. I hope it gives people time to grieve and promotes greater openness about miscarriage. We should not be fearful of our bodies,” she tweeted.
The new law, however, does not apply to abortions.
Existing legislation allows for paid leave in the event of a stillbirth where the fetus is lost after 20 weeks or more, with such legislations already existing in other countries. New Zealand’s bill extends this leave to anyone who loses a pregnancy at any point.
According to the New Zealand Ministry of Health, up to 2 pregnancies out of 10 end in miscarriage in the country.
