Pregnancy and the Active Duty Woman

By CDR Thomas Robinson, MD
Family and Undersea Medicine
United States Navy

Today women play a greater roll in the military than any other time in history. Active duty women have risen above the glass ceiling and crossed enemy lines to perform their duties on par with nearly all of their male counterparts. This series of articles explores medical topics unique to women serving in the military.

Men and women are both eager to start families, but there is no doubt that women bare a greater portion of the responsibility once the initial act of conception is over. Pregnancy and the period that follows it present challenges for women that their male colleagues do not experience. These challenges affect a woman’s body, mind, time, and career choices, but, if anticipated and properly planned for, can be overcome in concert with your your desires for career and family.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has no unified pregnancy policy, and has left it to each of the services to tailor their policies as they each require. While there are many similarities among these policies, there are also a few important differences. Knowing the rules for ones your service will ensure the most benefit for ones own pregnancy experience.

Pregnancy is a wonderful but significant condition that involves physiological changes for the mother, translating into risks in a military environment which can affect mission readiness. For these reasons, all services require command notification to properly manage performance restrictions related to pregnancy. As soon as pregnancy is determined, one you should contact their local medical provider to arrange prenatal care.

Pregnancy is measured in weeks, with a full term pregnancy lasting 40 weeks from the first day of ones last menstrual period. The initial visit is usually with a health education nurse who will provide orientation to the process of prenatal care at the local medical treatment facility. The first provider visit often occurs between the tenth and twelfth weeks of pregnancy, followed by routine visits every four weeks until thirty-two weeks, every two weeks until thirty-six weeks, and then weekly until delivery. The first visit with the provider is an opportunity for a full history and exam to screen for any general healthcare and prenatal issues and confirm the fetus’ gestational age with an early ultrasound. Weight, blood pressure, a few questions and possible tests screening for the possible illnesses during pregnancy make up the majority of the routine prenatal visits.

In all services the command will work diligently with the medical provider to ensure minimal duty-related risk is applied to the unborn child. Each service has defined separately the timing and degree of these restrictions, based upon the duty involved and the trimester of the pregnancy. These restrictions are too numerous to mention in full here, but they involve not only field, flying, diving, hazardous substance and many other duties, but define specific ergonomic considerations in the workplace as well. See the service-related links below for more specific information.

The services do, however, place some restrictions after delivery. All transfers and field duty are deferred for a period of 4 months (Air Force and Army, but Army must have a Family Care Plan on file), 6 months for USMC, and 12 months (Navy) following delivery unless the servicewoman requests earlier rotation. Each service allows 42 days of convalescent leave following delivery. No later than 6 months after being returned to full duty by a HCP, the servicewoman is required to take their respective service physical fitness assessment and conform to acceptable height/weight standards.

The family to be is potentially entitled to some benefits as well. In the Navy, a Commanding Officer may authorize single pregnant servicewomen to move into government housing based on availability before the birth of the child, and a pregnant servicewoman with no family members may reside in bachelor quarters for her full term. An extension of ones  obligated separation date of up to one year may be granted in order to receive maternity benefits, provided the member’s performance has been satisfactory and first term Sailors have the appropriate approval. If separating from service before delivery, the service woman may be eligible to receive 6 weeks of maternity care following delivery., Iif she is separated under honorable conditions, and the military treatment facility to which she is applying for care has the capability of and availability for providing maternity care.

Equality is often a concern in civilian and military workplaces when it comes to pregnancy. All services state that, in specialties where women are allowed, both genders will receive equal opportunity for advancement and that pregnancy will not detract from this equality.

The goal of every parent to be is to have a healthy, happy family in the context of a manageable and rewarding work environment. Achieving these goals is easier when one knows their rights and responsibilities and creates a plan, not only for the pregnancy, but for what comes afterward.

More service specific information can be found as follows:

Army: AR 600-20,
Army Regulations 40-501 (7-9, 7-10)    Profiling Pregnant Soldiers, Postpartum Profiles

Navy:
SECNAV Instruction 1000.10    Department of the Navy (DON) Policy on Pregnancy
OPNAV Instruction 6000.1A    Management of Pregnant Servicewomen

Marines:
Marine Corps Order 5000.12D    Marine Corps Policy on Pregnancy and Parenthood

Air Force:
Air Force Instruction 40-301    Family Advocacy

Coast Guard:
Commandant Instruction 1900.9    Pregnancy in the Coast Guard
Coast Guard Personnel Manual Chapter 4.A.     Women's Duty Assignments, Pregancy, and Marriage Issues