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This bill proposes a change to the law about maternity care. It would require district health boards to offer all women a postnatal stay of at least three days in a maternity facility after giving birth. This means new mothers would have the option to stay longer in a hospital or birthing centre to receive care and support for themselves and their baby.
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The bill changes the law to require that new mothers are offered a three-day stay in a maternity facility after giving birth.
insert after section 20(1)(b): (ba) ensure that every woman who gives birth is offered a postnatal stay of at least 3 days in a maternity facility unless— (i) the woman chooses to leave earlier; or (ii) a health practitioner determines that a shorter stay is medically necessary;
This bill is open for public submissions to the Health Committee. Anyone can tell the committee what they think, and you don’t need to be an expert. Submissions close 16 February 2025.
Bill text sourced from legislation.govt.nz (Parliamentary Counsel Office). Politika’s summary and breakdown are drafted with AI grounded in that official text and reviewed by an Politika editor for accuracy and neutrality before publishing. Politika is non-partisan and takes no position on this bill.
