Women standards Flashcards
Servicewomen are exempt from the weight & body fat standards:
- during pregnancy
- for a period of 6 months following the delivery date
- if nursing, an additional period of 6 months
- Total exemption period may not exceed 12 months from date of delivery.
Expecting service members should receive counseling on the responsibilities of balancing family care and obligations to the Coast Guard.
Temporary Separation is available for members who desire to remain at home for a period of up to 2 years.
BREASTFEEDING
- Lactation Facility: Ensure the availability of a private, clean room for expressing breast milk during the workday. When space is limited, a multi-purpose room (i.e. duty room), stateroom, or berthing area may be used as long as privacy can be assured for the time required. The facility shall be as close as possible to a water source for washing hands and rinsing equipment and equipped with electrical outlets, a table and chair. It is preferable that this space not be a head unless the head is equipped with a lounge type of area.
- Storage: Ensure access to cool storage for express breast milk. Access to refrigeration is ideal, however if no refrigerator space is available, the service member will supply cold packs for storing milk. Access to a freezer compartment is necessary if the workday extends beyond 12 hours. Breast milk should be contained and labeled by the service member to avoid contamination by other items located in the vicinity.
- Requests to breastfeed infants during duty hours should be handled on a case-by-case basis; however, breastfeeding an infant is not a reason for granting excessive time for meals or away from work.
DUTY RESTRICTIONS: Upon confirmation of pregnancy, servicewomen are exempt from:
-standing at parade rest for >5 min
- no immunizations, could harm fetus.
-physical training requirements that may affect the health of the fetus or mother (including weapons & boat crew training, swimming qualifications, etc.)
-diving or rescue swimming duty
-exposure to chemical, toxic, or environmental hazards
No pregnant servicemember shall deploy or remain aboard a ship, including small boat duty, beyond her 20th week of pregnancy.
-Pregnant aviation personnel may be deployed INCONUS after the 20th week only if medical facilities equivalent to or better than those currently provided to the member at the assigned air station or available at the deployment site.
-Resumption of deployments or assignments to cutters or OCONUS duties, including INCONUS aviation duties, will normally be deferred for 6 months following delivery.
-Unless prescribed by a healthcare provider earlier in the pregnancy, servicewomen are usually placed in light duty status between the 36th and 38th week of pregnancy.
-Watchstanders should be limited to a 40-hour workweek during the last 3 months of pregnancy.
MATERNITY UNIFORMS:
Maternity uniforms may be worn during pregnancy and up to 60 days after returning from maternity leave.
Uniforms are available at the Uniform Distribution Center or at an Air Force exchange (except the maternity ODU). Enlisted women receive a enlisted supplemental clothing allowance (SUPP CMA) after turning in a CG- 5155A form to the Servicing Personnel Office (SPO).
Commanding Officers/Officers in Charge may authorize appropriate civilian attire when there is no uniform equivalent or maternity uniforms no longer fit comfortably.
MATERNITY LEAVE:
Commands shall authorize:
- up to 30 days of prenatal leave if the healthcare provider deems it necessary
- for a married member on active duty whose spouse gives birth to a child, 21 days of non-chargeable leave.
- 42 days of postpartum convalescent leave after discharge.
PERFORMANCE EVALS
Commands shall ensure that pregnant servicewomen do not receive adverse evaluations strictly as a result of pregnancy.
Policy. A service member who suspects that she is pregnant is responsible for promptly confirming her pregnancy through testing by an appropriate health care provider and informing her commanding officer or officer in charge as soon as possible ?
, but no later than two weeks after diagnosis of pregnancy.
Spontaneous Abortions. Following a spontaneous abortion (i.e., miscarriage), the service member‟s health care provider
may recommend a period of convalescent leave when clinically indicated.
Government funds, to include TRICARE, are not available for the elective termination of pregnancy.
The only exception is when the life of the mother is at risk and the attending physician must certify that the abortion was performed because the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term.
Commanding Officer/Officer in Charge. After a health care provider confirms a pregnancy, all commanding officers and officers in charge are responsible for ensuring that the pregnant
service member and every member of the service member‟s chain of command is aware of the safety and medical provisions of this Instruction.
No service member shall deploy or remain aboard a ship, including small boat duty, beyond
her 20th week of pregnancy
If a member becomes pregnant during basic training they will be ?
discharged as unqualified for military service. They can reapply once pregnancy is complete.
Resumption of deployments, requirement to pass physical fitness standard tests, or assignment to cutter or OCONUS duties will not normally be made for a period of
six months following the end of pregnancy unless the service member is medically fit and requests a waiver for an earlier resumption of duties.
A pregnant service member should not be assigned to a Class “C” school if her projected graduation date will occur during
her last trimester.
