The bill provides in particular for psychological support and sick leave without a waiting day. This text must now be examined in the Senate.
Unanimously, the National Assembly voted, on the night of Wednesday March 8 to Thursday March 9, a bill to better support women after a miscarriage, with psychological support and sick leave without a day off. deficiency. Adopted at first reading, this text, initiated by MoDem MP Sandrine Josso, member of the presidential majority, must now be examined in the Senate.
By way of amendment, the government has added a measure already unveiled by Elisabeth Borne, introducing paid sick leave without a waiting day for a woman who has suffered a miscarriage, unlike a classic sick leave. This “lifting of the deficiency will occur as soon as possible, and at the latest” on January 1, 2024, underlined the Minister of Health, François Braun.
The ecologist Marie-Charlotte Garin and several left-wing elected officials asked in vain for a “additional tool” : a specific leave of three days of rest, giving women the choice between this leave and sick leave. A few voices from the majority were in their favor. sick leave “enables confidentiality” in particular vis-à-vis the employer, replied François Braun.
An ordeal that affects many women
At the opening of the debates, MP Sandrine Josso returned to the traumatic experience and “unfairly trivialized” miscarriage, spontaneous termination of pregnancy during the first five months, fetal viability date. A “pregnancy in four” ends in miscarriage and “one in ten women” is confronted during his life with this ordeal.
The text sets up, via each regional health agency (ARS), from September 2024, a “miscarriage course that combines medical professionals and hospital and liberal psychologists”so that women and their partners are systematically informed and oriented.
The bill also allows midwives, and not only doctors, to directly refer their patients who have suffered a miscarriage and their partners to a psychologist approved by Medicare.
This orientation would take place within the framework of the already existing device “MonParcoursPsy”, which allows to benefit from sessions with a psychologist, with a support by the Health insurance and the complementary health. François Braun felt that “our health system does not leave enough room for women’s health, this must change. (…) A spontaneous termination of pregnancy is an intimate drama.”