When you found out that you were expecting, you probably never expected that it would end with you going through the pregnancy, labor, delivery and child rearing without your spouse. The divorce papers might have hit you as a big shock.
It is understandable that you might have some questions right now. Pregnancy does have an impact on how a divorce is handled. You should learn about them now so that you know what to expect.
What special considerations are present?
One special consideration is usually health care for you and the unborn baby. Typically, a person who is divorced won’t be carried on an ex’s health insurance plan. When you go through the divorce, the judge can order that your ex contribute to the health care costs you incur because of the pregnancy. You should also find out how health insurance for the baby will be handled once you give birth. Having this information now can help prevent issues in the future.
How will matters regarding the unborn baby be handled?
It is usually best to handle the matters regarding the baby’s time as newborn before you have the baby. You and your ex can discuss matters and decide when he will have bonding time with the baby. You should take factors like whether you are going to breastfeed or bottle feed into account when you decide on the schedule.
As difficult of a time as this is, you can help yourself out by learning about your rights and what you can expect. Make sure that you learn all of the options you have before you make any decisions.
Source: FindLaw, “Divorce and Pregnancy: Are There Special Legal Considerations?,” George Khoury, Esq., accessed April 20, 2017
