Hmmm, I wonder if they would inadvertently increase birth rates in NYC by allowing parking in "no parking" zones to pregnant women! But seriously, the proposal is aimed at women having difficult pregnancies. I've known lots of women whose doctors have limited their activity levels during pregnancy because of various complications that are certainly no fault of the woman--preeclampsia, placenta previa, gestational diabetes can all require that the woman take it easy to avoid further complications or premature labor. While of course there would be potential for abuse of this privilege, I could see that it would make life a lot easier for women with pregnancy complications.

The first time I saw one of the "mother and child" parking spaces was when I was visiting Atlanta when my DD was a year old, and they seem to be common near my in-laws in NC. It strikes me as a nice benefit for when you're dragging around a toddler with a diaper bag, stroller, etc., but I don't remember having any particular difficulty walking distances when I was heavily pregnant (getting out of low chairs is another matter. And don't even ask me about trying to get out of a low waterbed while nine months pregnant!). They aren't common around where I live--I know of one Target parking lot with one space and that's it. I think hebe is right that it's more of a marketing tool--if they were serious about allowing close-in parking for pregnant women and parents with small children, there would be a lot more spaces than just that one.