Do pregnancy complications qualify as a disability?

Pregnancy can be pretty rough on the human body, but is it necessarily disabling? It may be.

While every short-term disability policy has its own terms, pregnancy complications often qualify for benefits. After all, pregnancy is a medical condition, and short-term disability (STD) policies are designed to cover situations where a temporary medical issue keeps someone from working.

When might pregnancy be covered by an STD policy?

If your pregnancy or post-partum period go smoothly, you can generally assume that your condition won’t be covered under your STD plan. However, you may want to make inquiries about your coverage if you:

• Have severe nausea and vomiting that persists throughout the day
• Have developed gestational diabetes that’s hard to regulate and causes difficulty with your ability to function normally
• Have developed preeclampsia (pregnancy-related hypertension that’s often accompanied by swelling in the hands and feet, blurred vision, pain and other issues)
• Have placenta previa and need to be largely confined to bed to prevent pre-term labor
• Have already delivered the baby but are having post-partum complications, including difficulty healing from a C-section
• Have developed post-partum depression that affects your ability to work

It’s also important to note that you may qualify for STD benefits if your pregnancy aggravates another condition that you have that was previously under control or undiagnosed. For example, if you are a Type 1 diabetic or have iron-deficient anemia, pregnancy can cause your condition to spiral out of control. Your condition may not resolve or be able to be effectively controlled until after your pregnancy is over.

If you’re having difficulty obtaining the STD benefits you need, legal guidance may help.