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Active Duty Pregnancy
DoD INST 6400.05 (Series)
Parenthood and Pregnancy

The information contained in these pages refers to policies and procedures to support pregnant active duty and training administration for the reserve (TAR) service members. For information regarding pregnant Reserve Component Sailors, refer to COMNAVRESFORINST 6000.1 (Series). 
 
PREGNANT SERVICE MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES:

1.  Service member confirms pregnancy through a medical provider at either a Military Treatment Facility (MTF) or if MTF is unavailable through a civilian Health Care Provider (HCP).
 
2. Per SECNAVINST 1000.10B (as of 16 Jan 2019) service members who think they may be pregnant are responsible for promptly confirming pregnancy through testing by appropriate medical providers and informing their COs or OICs, as appropriate. This allows service members to maintain privacy and determine the viability of the pregnancy.
 
3. Service members should contact their Command Deployability Coordinator (DC) (Shore Duty) or Command Deployment Coordinator (Sea Duty) to discuss their rights, responsibilities, and expectations throughout the pregnancy, per MILPERSMAN 1300-1306. Service members will acknowledge familiarity with all components of the OPNAVINST 6000.1(Series) and references by signing NAVPERS 1070/613 as directed in subparagraph 8f(1) of the OPNAV instruction.
 
4. Upon confirmation of pregnancy, Service members and their supervisors shall complete Occupational Exposures of Reproductive or Developmental questionnaire as required by OPNAVINST 5100.23G and NMPHC-TM-OEM 6260.01C.

ASSIGNMENT/PLACEMENT

1.  Enlisted - Fleet sea duty activities that are notified that assigned service member is pregnant should submit a pregnancy availability report in NSIPS. Training Commands with students unable to continue training at a school activity due to pregnancy, and students who will complete current course of instruction, but not attend further required training, contact NAVPERSCOM (PERS-454) for assistance in submitting DP Avails. Availability reports should include the 20th week of gestation date, medical restrictions, and pregnancy assignment preferences. Pregnant service members assigned to a shore duty activity that are within their order negotiation window must notify their Detailer and they will be extended onboard the current activity or moved to another activity.
 
2.  Officers - Pregnant officers assigned to an operational or shipboard activity shall notify their community detailer at PERS-4 immediately after receiving pregnancy notification. Additionally, pregnant officers at a non-operational shore command and within 12 months of Projected Rotation Date (PRD) shall notify community detailer to facilitate a PRD extension.
 
3. All Pregnant Service Members:
 
     a. May remain onboard a sea duty activity until the 20th week of pregnancy. A service member discovered to be pregnant while underway/deployed should be transferred ashore as soon as possible given the constraints of the ship’s location, current mission, next port call, health of the service member and/or unborn child(ren), etc. 
 
     b. Should not be assigned to units that are deploying from the 20th week of pregnancy through approximately 18-months following delivery and release from their medical providers. Under no circumstance shall a pregnant Service member remain onboard past the 20th week of pregnancy without a waiver.
 
     c. May continue to serve aboard ships while in port or during short underway periods, provided an evacuation capability exists and the time for medical evacuation is less than six hours to a treatment facility capable of evaluating and stabilizing obstetric emergencies; this requirement includes Temporary Additional Duty (TDY) orders.  The six-hour rule is not intended to allow pregnant service members to operate routinely at sea, but rather to provide the CO or OIC flexibility during short underway periods, as described above.
 
OPERATIONAL DEFERMENT TOUR. The period of time from official notification and placement of pregnant service members from an operational activity (Type 2 or 4) to a shore activity (Type 1, 3, or 6) for the duration of gestation, delivery, and approximately 18-months after delivery, or six months after still birth. During this period, Service members are deferred from all transfers (e.g., PCS, TDY, TEMDU, etc.).
 
OPERATIONAL DEFERMENT TERMINATION REQUEST. Service members may request an operational deferment tour to remain onboard the current sea duty activity (Type 2 or 4) for the duration of their prenatal and post-partum periods. Requests must be initiated by the service members in accordance with OPNAVINST 6000.1 (series) utilizing a NAVPERS 1306/1 or 1306/7 submitted to the cognizant detailer. Requests may be approved on a case-by-case basis.
 
WAIVER TO REMAIN ONBOARD. Service members may request to remain onboard an operational (Type 2 or 4) activity during the period of pregnancy and approximately 18-months post-delivery. Waiver requests must be submitted prior to their 20th week of gestation and must include endorsements from the service member, Commanding Officer or Officer in Charge, and the OB medical provider. All requests will be submitted to the applicable detailer for disposition.

SEPARATION. Officer and Enlisted service members may request separation due to pregnancy. Requests will normally be denied unless it is determined to be in the best interest of the Navy or if the service member demonstrates overriding and compelling factors of personal need, which warrant separation. Refer to MILPERSMAN 1910-112 and 1910-124 for additional guidance.

Active and TAR service members may request separation due to the hardships outlined in MILPERSMAN 1910-110.  A hardship discharge is intended to alleviate personal hardship encountered by a service member’s immediate family when discharge is the only solution.
 
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