German Bundestag Approves Expanded Maternity Protections for Miscarriages

The new law introduces a tiered system of maternity leave for women experiencing miscarriages after the 13th week of pregnancy, marking a significant policy shift.

The Bundestag has unanimously passed a law granting maternity leave to women who experience miscarriages between the 13th and 24th week of pregnancy.
The new tiered system provides two weeks of leave for miscarriages starting at the 13th week, six weeks at the 17th week, and eight weeks after the 20th week.
The legislation was driven by Natascha Sagorski, who campaigned for three years following her own experience with a miscarriage in 2019.
This marks the first time maternity protections have been extended to miscarriages, offering women time to recover physically and emotionally without requiring a doctor's note.
While the law applies to most employed and self-employed women, those privately insured are not yet covered, with future reforms under consideration.

Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung