Hello, I'm interested in information about private disability insurance (loss of work capability) in USA. In Israel, pregnant women are discriminated against and are only entitled to National Security if they lose their ability to work due to their pregnancy or giving birth, thus their private insurance for which they paid for all their lives becomes futile. We try to change this situation in Israel, and we had some success. Are you interested in any additional information? What is the situation in USA? Are women insured against complications due to pregnancy and child birth? Is this insurance included in their standard work capability insurance? Yours, Natalie

I am by no means an insurance expert, so for whatever it is worth...I would assume that if there were "complications due to pregnancy and child birth" this would be covered by standard medical insurance rather than disability insurance. (As you may know the U.S. health care system is not socialized therefore it is dictated by the powerful private insurance industry.) Disability insurance might go into affect after a certain point, which would only make sense. I suggest that you contact Working Mother Magazine, which may or may not have done a story on this topic and therefore, have on hand any relevant research. Similarly, they may be very interested in what is happening in Israel. (Working Mother, 135 West 50th Street, 16th Floor, New York, New York 10020; #212-445-6100)

Sorry, I couldn't be of further assistance and good luck.

—Amy