Pregnancy in the Military: What You Should Know

For the most part, being pregnant in the military is like any other job – except for the unique challenges that come with it. One of the biggest differences? My boss found out I was pregnant just a day after I did.

Immediate Notification & Medical Profile

In the military, pregnancy has to be verified by a military doctor. Unlike in civilian jobs, where you can choose when to announce your pregnancy, the military has strict policies that make it public almost immediately.

As soon as a pregnancy test comes back positive at a military treatment facility, it is officially documented in your medical profile. This update includes a waiver that marks you as non-deployable, meaning your leadership is automatically notified. So, while many women get to wait for the right moment to share their news, I didn’t have that luxury – my boss knew within a day.

Physical Requirements & Duty Limitations

Pregnancy in the military doesn’t necessarily mean you stop working, but it does come with adjustments. For some women, their job duties are no longer safe to perform, so they are temporarily reassigned to a different unit. This can be frustrating, especially if they love their job and want to continue contributing in their usual role.

For me, I was fortunate that I could keep doing my job, but there were still some changes. Physical training (PT) is a huge part of military life, but pregnancy brings modifications. Once you’re officially pregnant, you are exempt from standard PT tests, and instead, you may be assigned a modified fitness routine to maintain health and wellness during pregnancy.

The Logistics of Pregnancy in Uniform

One of the first things I had to do was track down maternity uniforms. Unlike civilian jobs, where you can wear whatever is comfortable as your belly grows, the military requires you to wear an official maternity uniform.

The problem? Maternity uniforms aren’t always easy to come by. They can take months to order, and not every base or branch has them readily available. I had to reach out immediately to get mine, and thankfully, my size was in stock. Otherwise, I would have been responsible for purchasing my own, which isn’t ideal when the uniform is a requirement.

Traveling While Pregnant in the Military

Military life often means traveling for temporary duty assignments (TDYs), and pregnancy doesn’t necessarily change that. During my first trimester, I had two TDYs, meaning I had to travel while dealing with nausea, exhaustion, and all the joys of early pregnancy.

One trip was on a commercial flight, which wasn’t too bad. But the other? That was on a military aircraft. If you’ve ever flown in one, you know they are loud, uncomfortable, and not designed for the queasy, hormone-ridden pregnant body. Let’s just say that morning sickness and military planes are a terrible mix. But like everything in the military, you push through.

Healthcare & Appointments

One of the biggest advantages of being pregnant in the military is the access to healthcare. Prenatal care is fully covered, and military hospitals have specific programs for pregnant service members and spouses. However, there can still be challenges.

For one, scheduling appointments can be tricky, especially when balancing work responsibilities. Unlike a civilian job where you can take PTO for doctor visits, in the military, you have to coordinate appointments around your unit’s schedule. Sometimes, that means waiting longer than you’d like for ultrasounds or check-ups.

Additionally, not every base has full medical facilities for pregnant service members. I’m on a small base that doesn’t have an OB-GYN, so I can’t be seen on base for my prenatal care. Instead, I have to go to a civilian OB-GYN for all my pregnancy-related appointments. While this ensures I get specialized care, it also means navigating a different system, scheduling conflicts, and sometimes longer wait times.

To make things more frustrating, my military doctor won’t see me for anything unrelated to pregnancy. If I come down with something as simple as a common cold, they refuse to treat me because “they don’t see pregnant patients.” That leaves me with only two options: either see my civilian OB-GYN (who doesn’t typically handle general illnesses) or go to an urgent care that has an OB-GYN on staff. It’s an unnecessary hassle that can make even minor illnesses more complicated than they need to be.

So while military healthcare covers pregnancy, the process can be frustrating depending on where you’re stationed. Some women have access to full military medical facilities, while others – like me – have to rely on off-base civilian care, which comes with its own set of challenges.

Maternity & Paternity Leave

One of the biggest improvements in recent years has been the updated maternity and paternity leave policies.

• Maternity Leave – I’ll get 12 weeks of maternity leave after giving birth, which is a significant step forward. In the past, maternity leave was much shorter, making postpartum recovery and bonding with a newborn even more challenging.

• Paternity Leave – Husband would get 12 weeks of paternity leave. This change has been a game-changer for military families, allowing both parents to share responsibilities and adjust to life with a newborn.

The Mental & Emotional Side of It All

While pregnancy is an emotional journey for anyone, being pregnant in the military adds an extra layer of stress. There’s a constant pressure to tough it out and not let pregnancy slow you down, but the reality is that pregnancy is exhausting.

I struggled with extreme fatigue, nausea, and the emotional ups and downs that come with growing a tiny human – all while trying to maintain my work performance. There were days when I felt like I was failing at everything, days when I worried about how this pregnancy would impact my career, and moments of frustration with all the extra logistics that came with being pregnant in the military.

But at the end of the day, I reminded myself: This is temporary, and I’m doing something incredible.

Final Thoughts

Pregnancy in the military is a unique experience, full of both advantages and challenges. While the structured environment provides stability, it also comes with strict policies, immediate disclosure requirements, and logistical hurdles that most civilian jobs don’t have.

That said, with recent improvements in maternity and paternity leave, as well as the strong support systems available within the military community, pregnancy as a service member is more manageable than ever.

For anyone navigating this journey, my biggest piece of advice is to advocate for yourself – whether that means pushing for better maternity accommodations, requesting the care you need, or simply acknowledging when you need to rest.

How has being pregnant in your career been different? I’d love to hear about your experience!