In late October 2008, the Official Journal for the State of Coahuila published a decree enacting the MaternityProtection Law in the State of Coahuila, which protects the rights of pregnant women by safeguarding theirhealth, the health of their unborn children and the health of newborns. Under the new law, physicians providingmedical services, whether at public or private settings, will have the duty of informing their pregnant patients ofthe existence of the law, its purposes and the protection that such law offers to such women. The State ofCoahuila may provide financial aid to women, based on financial need, to those who request it in order to helpthem pay for medical visits, laboratory analysis, ultrasounds and any other type of general medical andpsychological care that such women may need to protect their health and the health of their unborn children. Thelaw also provides pregnant women rights to employment stability and access to public or private educationinstitutions, and will provide tax incentives to individuals or entities that hire pregnant women. Women withacquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) will, additionally, have access to specialized care in order toprotect their health and the health of their unborn children, ensuring that physicians providing care to them arecertified as specialists.
