Going to antenatal appointments is part of pregnancy care – and you have rights around this at work, so don’t feel guilty about taking time off.
Pregnant staff
Pregnant employees have the right to reasonable time off with full pay for ‘antenatal’ (pregnancy-related) appointments and care.
Fathers and other non-birth parents
Partners have the right to time off work to accompany the expectant to 2 antenatal appointments. This time off does not have to be paid and is for a maximum of 6.5 hours for each appointment.
Some partners feel awkward asking for time off because of workplace culture or expectations around gender roles:
“Sometimes I felt bad asking because it’s just the way society works… you just crack on and go to work.” (Shane – Employee, 50-249 staff)
Fertility treatment and high-risk pregnancies
There is no specific legal right to time off for fertility treatment appointments, but these should be treated like any other medical appointment. If you become pregnant through fertility treatment, you have the same maternity rights as any other pregnant employee.
Pregnancy protection starts from the embryo transfer stage, even though you don’t have to tell your employer at that point.
High-risk pregnancies and fertility treatment often involve extra appointments and uncertainty, and people don’t always feel well supported.
“I told [my manager] about IVF, because I wanted to take time off, but then I didn’t know exactly when it would be, because it depended on the egg retrieval dates… he was very good about me being, ‘oh, it might be this week, it might be this day’.” (Emily – Employee, 10-49 staff)
Did you know? Most people we spoke to were able to attend antenatal appointments during the working day, and many workplaces were flexible and supportive. However, how paid time off works in practice varies. In some organisations it’s clearly set out in policy; in others it’s handled informally. Some staff are encouraged to book appointments outside core hours, while others feel pressure to catch up on work or make up the time.
“My work is quite flexible and always has been, regardless of being pregnant or not, so things like midwife appointments I just put them in the diary and went, I didn’t need to specifically book time off for them, so it would have been classed as paid. I didn’t need, fortunately, any other antenatal appointments other than scans and midwife appointments.” (Anna – Employee, 10-49 staff)
Some employees were encouraged to schedule appointments early or late in the day to minimise disruption. Others had to catch up on missed work, and in some workplaces, there was an expectation that the time would be made up elsewhere (e.g. through flexi-hours, TOIL, or working later).
“If I disappear for a few hours to go to an antenatal clinic, that’s fine, but the deadlines don’t move.” (Mark – Employee, 10-49 staff)
Supportive practices
The organisation can help by:
- Being flexible around appointment times where possible
- Making sure managers understand rights around antenatal appointments
- Being clear about what time off is paid and how appointments should be recorded
- Avoiding language that could make staff feel guilty for attending appointments
- Recognising that higher-risk pregnancies may involve more frequent appointments
- Considering offering paid time off to fathers and partners, especially where there are additional appointments
- Encouraging open communication about changing appointment needs
What can you do to help?
You can let your employer know about any health concerns or changes in your role that might affect your safety at work, so risks can be assessed and managed.
