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Prenatal Legal Checkup

Paternity

Texas Legal Services Center's Medical-Legal Partnerships created a prenatal legal check-up to help pregnant people in Texas. 

This video series is what is known as a "legal checkup." Watch the videos to help figure out how to specifically and systematically address your legal needs, especially if you are pregnant.

What is a legal checkup?

A legal checkup is a tool that can be used by people during all stages of life to figure out:

  • What legal needs they may have
  • What legal issues they can prevent

What is a prenatal legal checkup?

The Medical-Legal Partnership's prenatal legal checkup is designed to start conversations about health-harming legal needs during pregnancy. The video series covers many potential needs, such as health insurance, food security, domestic violence, employment, housing, healthcare decisions, parental rights, and breastfeeding. The goal is to encourage expecting parents to take their health into their own hands. 

Why is a prenatal legal checkup important?

  • Every year, 1.7 million women in the U.S. get sick or die simply from getting pregnant.
  • Many illnesses and deaths are due to where we live, grow, work, play, and age. These things are called social determinants of health.
  • Things like income, health insurance, housing, education, employment, and even access to legal help are shaped by legal requirements and restrictions.

What if I think I may need legal help after watching the prenatal legal checkup videos?

Find legal help here at TexasLawHelp's legal help directory.

Health Insurance

Watch this video to learn more about how to cover prenatal care costs. Related topics include:

Public Benefits and Food Security

Watch this video to learn more about what public benefits may be available and how to access them. Such benefits may include:

Employment

Watch this video to learn more about what rights pregnant persons have in the workplace. Learn more at Pregnancy and the workplace.

Domestic Violence

Watch this video about Protective Orders to learn more about how to stay safe from domestic violence.

Housing

Watch this video to learn more about housing rights. Related material on TexasLawHelp.org includes:

Medical Decision-making

Watch this video about Medical Decision-making to learn more about how you can control or delegate your right to make medical decisions during pregnancy, especially if you face a serious pregnancy complication.

Parental Rights: Part One

Watch this video to learn more about parental rights, such as visitation and who gets to make decisions about the child. Topics include:

Parental Rights: Part Two

Watch this video to learn more about parental rights, such as establishing safe visitation when one parent has been abusive or presents a danger to the child.

Breastfeeding

Watch this video to learn about your rights as a breastfeeding parent in the workplace. Topics include break time for nursing mothers.

Early childhood issues

Watch this video to learn about government benefits that can help you access early childhood services, such as SSI, if your young child has special needs. Related topics include:

Early Childhood Interventions

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