# NZ PM preggers! Any political ramifications/repercussions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 19, 2018, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939 "2018-01-19T02:37:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/1 "2018-01-19T02:37:50Z")
So, looks like New Zealand’s new [Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will become the first modern head of state to give birth while in office](http://www.smh.com.au/world/new-zealand-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-pregnant-with-first-child-20180118-h0kq2e.html),\* later this year. My NZ colleagues seem pleased as punch about this. And one could argue that government leaders have been temporarily impacted by major medical issues before this, such as President Reagan’s two-week hospitalization and two-month recuperation following his shooting by a would-be assassin, so having a baby should not be a disqualification for serving in office. But is there anybody arguing that it ought to be? Kiwi Dopers, what’s the word on the street? \*Okay, I guess technically Queen Elizabeth II of the UK is a modern head of state who’s given birth while in office, and probably some other reigning queens as well, but one could argue that for a hereditary monarch giving birth is actually part of the job; not so much for a Prime Minister. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/2 "2018-01-19T02:45:39Z")
?? Why would it be? Would this post even exist if she was a man expecting a new child? ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/3 "2018-01-19T03:23:49Z")
Best of luck to her. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/4 "2018-01-19T03:26:59Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > ?? Why would it be? Would this post even exist if she was a man expecting a new child? Gender equality is fine. But I don’t think anyone is going to claim that a man and a woman bear an equal share in the physical involvement in a pregnancy. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/5 "2018-01-19T03:45:40Z")
Kiwi checking in I think it ROCKS! GO Jacinda ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/6 "2018-01-19T03:46:17Z")
Benazir Bhutto gave birth to a child while in office in 1990 in Pakistan. I’m not aware of any others right now. ETA: Congrats! ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/7 "2018-01-19T03:48:10Z")
She’s a head of government, not a head of state. I don’t see how this is going to have any political ramifications or repercussions or any effect at all unless some grave national crisis require her immediate attention (like Australia launching airstrikes) just happens to occur while she’s actually in labor. She might have to cut back on international travel for a few months though. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/8 "2018-01-19T03:51:05Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > ?? Why would it be? Would this post even exist if she was a man expecting a new child? It would be more about the medical intervention required for _that_ to happen. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/9 "2018-01-19T04:01:59Z")
Most of a head of government’s job duties are meetings and paperwork. I suppose if she ended up on strict bed rest it could affect her ability to take meetings, (giving me the chance to use the term _en chambre_) but even then she could still make phone calls, read reports, sign legislation, etc. I’m quite sure there’s a deputy PM for those few hours she’s definitely incapacitated. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/10 "2018-01-19T04:03:23Z")
Acting prime minister Winston Peters has an ominous ring to it. Other than that it’s great news. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/11 "2018-01-19T06:01:40Z")
It’s the 21st century. I hope we’re beyond making an issue of something like this. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/12 "2018-01-19T06:29:49Z")
Here’s hoping for a safe delivery of a healthy baby. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/13 "2018-01-19T06:30:03Z")
If only there were such an office as [Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deputy_Prime_Minister_of_New_Zealand). ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/14 "2018-01-19T06:50:45Z")
As noted above, having Winston Peters as acting PM for any extended period will be interesting. He’s always struck me as been more an opportunist outsider than somebody who wears the big hat comfortably. > [@alphaboi867](#): > > … unless some grave national crisis require her immediate attention (like Australia launching airstrikes) just happens to occur while she’s actually in labor. Granted it’s not particularly likely but that wouldn’t cause much more damage than has already been inflicted on our various rugby teams for the past few months. Gruen: [Lets Invade New Zealand](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hlFcnkGY-o) ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/15 "2018-01-19T10:05:52Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > So, looks like New Zealand’s new [Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will become the first modern head of state to give birth while in office](http://www.smh.com.au/world/new-zealand-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-pregnant-with-first-child-20180118-h0kq2e.html),\* later this year. Benezir\* did in 1990, which is modern AFAIK, although frankly not surprised that you did not know this. And PM is head of Government, not Head of State. \*She also gave birth in 1988 and 1993 as Opposition leader and would win elections is each of those years. Not a Head of Government, but [Hina Rabbani Khar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hina_Rabbani_Khar) gave the Budget Statement as Finance Minister when heavily pregnant. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/16 "2018-01-19T10:22:50Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > ?? Why would it be? Would this post even exist if she was a man expecting a new child? Not that I disagree with your overall point, but it must be pretty rare for a male leader to have more children while in office too, given that most heads of state/government tend to be in their 40s and 50s - kind of over the hump of the bell curve for having kids. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/17 "2018-01-19T10:27:22Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Not a Head of Government, but [Hina Rabbani Khar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hina_Rabbani_Khar) gave the Budget Statement as Finance Minister when heavily pregnant. The first female Minister of Defense of Spain, Carme Chacón, undertook several state trips while pregnant, including one to Afghanistan. She had previously been Minister of Housing. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/18 "2018-01-19T10:33:39Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Not that I disagree with your overall point, but it must be pretty rare for a male leader to have more children while in office too, given that most heads of state/government tend to be in their 40s and 50s - kind of over the hump of the bell curve for having kids. Tony Blair had a child when in office as did David Cameron. JFK had a child born and die while in office Grover Cleveland had a daughter when in office. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/19 "2018-01-19T13:58:49Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Not that I disagree with your overall point, but it must be pretty rare for a male leader to have more children while in office too, given that most heads of state/government tend to be in their 40s and 50s - kind of over the hump of the bell curve for having kids. David Cameron, the then Prime Minister of the UK, became the father of a daughter shortly after he became Prime Minister. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939/20 "2018-01-19T14:22:22Z")
Prime Minister Mulroney of Canada’s youngest son was born while he was in office. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nz-pm-preggers-any-political-ramifications-repercussions/806939.md?page=2)