All female central government employees will be entitled to 60 days of special maternity leave. The leave will be given in the case of the death of a child soon after birth or the loss of a baby before or during delivery.
The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions said, the decision has been taken keeping in view the potential emotional trauma caused due to stillbirth or death of a child soon after birth which has a far-reaching impact on the mother’s life.
The order says, the condition for death of a child soon after birth may be defined as up to 28 days after birth. It says, a baby born with no signs of life at or after 28 weeks of gestation may be defined as stillbirth. Gestation is the period of time between conception and birth. In the order, it has been mentioned that the benefit of Special Maternity Leave will be admissible only to a female Central Government servant with less than two surviving children and for child delivery only in an authorized hospital.