“Pregnancy Rights: Your legal options during and after pregnancy” is a basic, plain English guide that contains practical answers to questions about pregnancy and the law.

It covers questions like “what are some of my options after a positive pregnancy test?”, “what healthcare can I get while I’m pregnant?”, “can I get time off work while I’m pregnant?”, “can I keep going to school if I am pregnant or have a baby?” and much more.

The guide has been written with young pregnant people in mind, but information that you’ll find in here will be just as helpful for all whānau (including the other parent), advocates and the wider community.

• Sexual consent
• Updated information about termination/abortion rights
• Contraceptive rights
• Bereavement leave for miscarriage or stillbirth

There’s a lot of helpful information in this guide that should be able to support most readers through tricky times! But for some, even more tricky situations, you may need advice from a lawyer. A good place to start is your nearest Community Law Centre.

Not all of the questions you might have about pregnancy will be legal.

There are a lot of people and services in the community that can help like your nearest Family Planning Clinic, your school counsellor, your doctor or midwife, the social work department of your hospital, or family and friends. As a start, we’ve listed some useful resources. See the section, “Where to go for more support” at the end of this guide. Talk to a range of people so that you can explore your options, and reach a decision that feels right for you.