Mastering Pregnancy in Germany ​​[Essential Tips]

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by Susa

Updated

Whether you are already pregnant or thinking about having a baby soon – expecting a child, especially in another country, can be equally exciting and scary. Fortunately, Germany is one of the best countries in the world to start or expand your family. Here is everything you need to know about medical care, bureaucratic steps, and customs during pregnancy in Germany.

What Does Prenatal Care In Germany Look Like?

Germany offers excellent prenatal care with public and private health insurance covering thorough regular check-ups, birth preparation courses, and specialized support from midwives during pregnancy as well as during and after birth.

Pregnancy tests (Schwangerschaftstests) are widely available in Germany and you can buy them in drugstores like dm and Rossmann, pharmacies, or online. Costs vary between 3 and 15 euros depending on the brand. 

If your test is positive, you should schedule your first doctor’s appointment around week 8 of your pregnancy in Germany. Should you still need to get an OB or gynecologist (Frauenarzt or Gynäkologe), Doctolib or Jameda are great places to find one. These easy-to-use online platforms enable you to find a gynecologist (or other specialists) near you and to make an appointment directly through the website. Jameda furthermore shows patients’ ratings and reviews for each doctor. 

What Are Prenatal Check-Ups?

According to the German Mutterschaftsrichtlinien (motherhood guidelines), every soon-to-be mother is entitled to approximately 10 to 12 prenatal check-up appointments, which are covered in full by German health insurance. They should be taken every four weeks, biweekly after week 32 of pregnancy, and every two days past the calculated due date. 

Prenatal checks include:

  • Blood and urine testing
  • Monitoring blood pressure
  • Monitoring weight gain
  • Monitoring the fetal heartbeat
  • Tracking the position of the uterus and the baby

A total of three ultrasound examinations, typically scheduled for the 3rd, 6th, and 8th month of pregnancy, are included. If considered a high-risk pregnancy, additional ultrasounds are taken and covered by your health insurance. A glucose tolerance test to detect pregnancy diabetes is additionally done between weeks 22 and 24 of pregnancy. 

All ultrasounds, medical check-ups, and test results get documented in the so-called Mutterpass (mother’s passport), which will be given to you by your midwife or gynecologist, typically after the first trimester. It is strongly recommended that you carry your Mutterpass with you at all times during your pregnancy. Should you ever need medical assistance, all pregnancy-related information will be immediately available to doctors. 

In addition to the above-mentioned prenatal tests and check-ups, families in Germany can choose additional services, called Individuelle Gesundheitsleistungen (individual health services) or IGeL for short. They include tests for toxoplasmosis and streptococcus, as well as acupuncture during pregnancy.

As IGeL tests are optional, you must pay for them individually when publicly insured. However, they may be covered in high-risk pregnancy cases. Cost can vary between 10 and 60 euros. If you have private health insurance, IGeL tests may be covered depending on your individual health insurance tariff.

Related Guide: Private Vs. Public Health Insurance In Germany [English Guide]

Does German Insurance Cover Prenatal Diagnostic Testing?

Prenatal Diagnostic Testing is not part of regular prenatal care in Germany but is available for high-risk pregnancies or upon request. The so-called “First-trimester screening” can be performed in week 12 to check for potential chromosome disorders but needs to be paid for individually in most cases. Costs vary between 150 and 250 euros.

How Do Pregnancy Conflicts And Possible Abortions work in Germany?

Suppose you are in conflict with your pregnancy. In that case, it is advisable to seek support from counseling centers like ProFamilia, which is the German equivalent of Planned Parenthood in the US and provides in-depth information on self-determined sexuality and family planning. The official website of Germany’s Federal Center of Health Education furthermore offers an extensive database of over 1.500 pregnancy-focused counseling centers near you. The website is in German, but counseling is widely available in English and other languages. 

While abortions are officially prohibited in Germany, they are not being prosecuted criminally within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. However, finding information on how and where to get an abortion can be tricky, as an official advertising ban prohibits doctors from informing about abortions on their website.

Should you consider an abortion, attending a Schwangerschaftskonfliktberatung (counseling for pregnancy conflict) in a state-approved counseling center, like the ones linked above, is mandatory. It aims to provide women with all relevant information regarding the procedure, potential alternatives, and support. 

To have an abortion, women must obtain a counseling waiver (Beratungsschein) showing they attended the counseling appointment. If you wish to receive such a waiver, please refer to state-operated counseling centers, as most centers with religious affiliations, like Caritas, refrain from issuing them. 

Should a pregnancy put the mother’s life at risk, or if severe or life-threatening disability of the fetus is diagnosed, abortions are possible beyond week 12 of pregnancy in Germany. While seeking support from a counseling center is highly recommended in such a difficult situation, obtaining a counseling waiver is not required.

How Do You Find A Midwife In Germany? 

All expectant mothers in Germany are entitled to a midwife throughout pregnancy and during and after birth. Your midwife, instead of your gynecologist, can conduct prenatal check-ups (apart from ultrasound examinations and prenatal diagnostic testing). As midwives only focus on pregnancy, childbirth, and newborn care, they offer specialized support in a more focused and personal setting, allowing more time and accessibility to discuss individual questions or potential worries.

Unfortunately, it is important to know that the number of practicing midwives has been steadily declining in Germany, a situation that has drastically worsened during Covid-19. Therefore, if you are interested in a midwife, you should start searching as early as possible, preferably in the first weeks of pregnancy. This is especially true in big cities, rural areas, or with babies due in summer, as most midwives have children and take time off during school holidays

The best way to find a midwife is to go through the largest midwife platform in Germany,  Ammely, which is available in German and English and lets you filter for midwives speaking various languages. The platform was created by the Deutscher Hebammenverband e.V. (German Midwifery Association) and offers a wide range of accredited midwives in Germany. 

Some cities, like Düsseldorf, also have a so-called Hebammenzentrale (Midwives Head Office), which serves as a midwife agency in your local area. You can google ‘Hebammenzentrale + your city’, to find out whether your city has one. 

As some midwives only rely on word-of-mouth recommendations, it is also helpful to actively ask friends, acquaintances, doctors, or even hospitals for referrals. 

Midwife services are split into three focus areas: pregnancy, birth, and afterbirth care. While most midwives offer prenatal care in Germany, not all offer birth assistance or postnatal care with home visits. Decide what services are essential to you early on and focus your search accordingly. 

You can choose two midwives if you cannot find a midwife offering both pre-and postnatal care. The services of both midwives will be covered by your health insurance, except for the introductory meeting with the second midwife. You can expect to pay between 30 to 80 euros for such a meeting.

When giving birth at a hospital in Germany, women are typically looked after by midwives working in the delivery ward. As they work in shifts, you will likely be attended to by different midwives depending on the delivery length. 

Related Guide: Giving Birth In Germany As A Foreigner [English Guide]

Women looking to be supported by their own midwife during childbirth must look for a so-called BeleghebammeBeleghebammen usually stay with a family throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum and are always on call when labor starts. They also support women who intend to give birth at home or at birthing centers, though most will likely only accompany hospital births. 

Always discuss your preferred birth environment as early as possible to ensure that you match with a midwife who supports your birth plan.

How Do You Find A Birth Preparation Course In Germany?

You can find birth preparation courses (Geburtsvorbereitungskurse) in many different forms in Germany. There are online versions as well as in-person courses. In-person courses offered by hospitals, midwives, or birthing centers are either split into different sessions for multiple weeks or run over the weekend. 

As long as a certified midwife runs the course, the health insurance will cover the fees for the expecting mother. Depending on the insurance company, fathers/partners, friends, or family who wish to join the course must pay part of the fee or up to the total amount of the course. Most in-person birth preparation courses in Germany operate in German, with limited English offers. Here you can find a list of English offers for most major cities: 

Berlin: Fokus Leben
Frankfurt: Familien-Gesundheitszentrum (confusing website – you always need to scroll down to the end of the page to see the actual information)
Hamburg: Hebamme Viktoria
Munich: Pippagina
Düsseldorf: Doula Brid

Should you be unable to find an English course in your local area, which has been the case for us during our research for Stuttgart, there is a vast amount of resources online. Kinderheldin, for instance, is a German midwife offering various online birth preparation courses in both German and English. If you google “birth preparation course English Germany” you will get many different offers. 

If you cannot find a course you like, YouTube is a great and free alternative. Given how universal birthing is, you do not need to stick to German midwives to learn more about the physical and emotional process of giving birth. (German) friends loved the videos of US-based doula Bridget Teyler, who focuses on positive birth experiences through breathing techniques and mindset exercises. 

Although her content is in German only, Laura Rohmann-Höhn offers many videos on pregnancy, birth, and infant care. She also has an official birth preparation course for which you can sign up if you like her videos.

Where Do Expecting Mothers Give Birth in Germany?

About 95% of babies in Germany are born at hospitals, with birthing centers or home births as possible alternatives. 

As a soon-to-be mom, you are free to choose a hospital to give birth in and are not bound to deliver in the hospital nearest to you. When choosing a hospital, it is essential to look for one with a Kreissaal, which is the labor ward in Germany. In case of a high-risk pregnancy or depending on your preference, it can be helpful to look for hospitals with an attached Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Neugeborenen Intensivstation) or a children’s ward.

Most maternity wards offer walking tours for expecting families to help you choose the right hospital. Unfortunately, this service has been limited due to Covid-19, so always check your preferred hospital’s website or call the Kreissaal directly to enquire about individual tour offers and requirements. 

Pre-registering at your preferred hospital before giving birth in Germany is a very good idea. This usually entails giving your details, discussing your birth preferences, and getting answers to any questions you might have. It is common for hospitals to open registrations after week 34 of pregnancy, although this may differ. However, even though it is not common, a Kreissaal might be at total capacity when labor starts. While you will always get a referral to a different hospital in such a case, it can be helpful to have a personal plan B at hand to feel a little less overwhelmed should such a situation occur.

Birthing centers (Geburtshäuser) are a potential alternative if you want a more cozy and intimate place to give birth. Midwives run birthing centers, and pregnant women usually get accompanied by their own midwife during childbirth. Birthing centers may offer more opportunities for a self-determined birth with less medical intervention. Still, without a doctor for medical emergencies present, they are not recommended or suitable for high-risk pregnancies. If you are considering giving birth at a birthing center, you should look for centers near you as early as possible. 

Home births (Hausgeburt) are rare in Germany but doable if you meet specific requirements. To give birth at home, you must get cleared as a low-risk pregnancy per a specific criteria catalog (German only, see hot tip below) designed by midwives & public health insurance. Only a few midwives offer to accompany a home birth, so make sure to start your search right away should a home birth interest you.

🔥 Hot Tip: To translate German websites to English, use Chrome as a browser, right-click on the website and select ‘translate to English’.

What Are The Maternity Rights And Family Benefits In Germany?

Germany offers many benefits to expecting mothers and families, such as paid maternity leave, job protection, parental leave, and financial support for your child. You need to inform your employer and health insurance of your pregnancy to benefit from them. It is most common to share pregnancy news with your employer after week 12. To do so, ideally, you should get an official confirmation of pregnancy from your gynecologist, which you will also need to hand to your health insurance.

To learn more extensive details about each social benefit, you can read our detailed guides on maternity leave and job protection, parental leave, Elterngeld (financial support during parental leave), and Kindergeld (child benefits) in Germany. 

Even though you can only claim Elterngeld and Kindergeld after your baby is born, we highly recommend filling out the application forms and getting the required documents ready while pregnant. The application process for Elterngeld is elaborate and flat-out confusing at times, and working on it is not how you want to spend the first days of your baby’s life.

Related Guides: 
Maternity Leave In Germany [Mutterschutz] English Guide
Parental Leave In Germany [Elternzeit] English Guide
Parental Allowance In Germany [Elterngeld] English Guide
Kindergeld In Germany [Everything You Need To Know]

What Are The Bureaucratic Steps After Giving Birth In Germany?

After your baby is born, many bureaucratic steps await you. While our in-depth guide on giving birth in Germany gives you more detailed information, the most essential documents and to-dos to be aware of are as follows:

Related Guide: Giving Birth In Germany As A Foreigner [English Guide]

1. Get your documents ready to register your child 

These include:

  • Passport/ID copy of the mother or both parents, if applicable
  • Birth certificate of the mother or both parents, if applicable
  • Marriage certificate, if applicable
  • Declaration of child’s name (google `Namenserklärung + your city/geographical area’ to get the required form)

🔥 Hot Tip: To register your baby and get its birth certificate, you must have all foreign documents officially translated. As the time frame to register your baby is short, you should get your documents translated during pregnancy. 

Important: If you are not married but wish for both parents to be listed on the birth certificate, you will need to get a so-called Declaration of Paternity and Declaration of Custody at your local youth office (Jugendamt).

2. Think about childcare

Childcare is available for children starting around three months; however, most children start Kita (nursery care) or Kindergarten after turning one. Spots are very limited, so best start looking into childcare options during pregnancy and apply for spots at least a year in advance.

3. Find a pediatrician

In Germany, regular check-ups, called U-Untersuchungen, are mandatory to monitor a baby’s development. You should schedule your first pediatrician appointment around 4 to 5 weeks after giving birth or even earlier should you have given birth at home or at a birthing center. Contact pediatricians in your area early enough to enquire about their ability to take on new patients.

4. Check your rental agreement

While it is not required to inform landlords about pregnancy, it might be necessary once your baby is born. This is the case when running costs (like water and trash collection) are calculated per person instead of by apartment size or rental unit. To find out if this applies to you, you can either check your rental agreement or your latest utility bill if available.

Having a baby move into your apartment does not require approval from your landlord. While there is no specific termination protection for families, terminating a rental agreement because of children is not legal. However, should your rental agreement be terminated for other reasons during pregnancy or right after the baby is born, you can refer to the so-called Härteklausel (hardship clause). It applies when having to move cannot be deemed reasonable for tenants. While this will not prevent the termination itself, it allows tenants more time to search for a new apartment and move at a later date.

4. Inform Yourself About Insurance For The Baby

You can only sign your baby up for insurance after birth, but it is helpful to get an overview of different insurance options while pregnant. 

What Are German Pregnancy Customs?

Telling your friends and family about the new baby is a special moment for growing families. While every family is different, it is common for soon-to-be parents in Germany to wait until week 12 of pregnancy to share the good news

Baby showers are not common in Germany, and neither are baby registries. Expecting parents usually pay for most baby supplies with potential support from their immediate family. Friends, acquaintances, or more distant relatives, usually gift toys, clothes, or fun surprises like Windeltorten (diaper cakes) towards the end of pregnancy. More superstitious Germans might even prefer not to get any gifts before the baby is born. Similar to the German custom of not wishing a happy birthday before the actual birthday, it might be considered bad luck. 

While most Germans are eager to find out the gender of their baby, gender reveal parties are again uncommon. One might say that in comparison to many other cultures, pregnancy in Germany, as a whole, is not as elaborately celebrated. That changes, however, once the baby is born, when congratulations, cards, and little gifts are highly appreciated.

How To Choose Your Child’s Name In Germany

Although specific rules apply, parents in Germany are quite free when selecting their child’s name. According to the German law of names (Namensrecht), a child’s first name:

  • Must be recognizable as a first name (no common words, city names, or family names)
  • Cannot be offensive or ridiculous
  • Cannot be longer than five names

Names prohibited in Germany include Gucci, Superman, Junge (boy), Lord, Puppe (doll), and McDonald.

Ultimately it is up to your local Standesamt (registry office) to approve or reject a baby’s name. Some families have been successful in giving their children names that other registry offices in Germany would have likely denied. 

If you are looking for inspiration, the German website Vorname.com offers an almost infinite choice of names, explaining their meaning and heritage.

A significant difference from many other countries is that a child in Germany may only have one last name. Should one or both parents have double names, the child can only have one single name. If both parents have different names, they must choose one over the other for their baby. 

For example: 

Parents names:Child name:
Frank Maier & Anna Maier-Schmidt →Paul Maier
Frank Maier-Schmidt & Anna Maier-Schmidt →Paul Maier or Paul Schmidt
Frank Maier & Anna Schmidt →Paul Maier or Paul Schmidt

According to the German law of names, Paul Maier-Schmidt is not an option.

💡 Good to know: The German law of names only applies to German citizens. Foreign parents are free to choose a name per their own country’s law of names. For example, a Mexican-German couple could name their child: Paul Maier-Lopez.

Where To Buy Baby And Maternity Supplies?

Buying baby clothes and putting together the nursery are undoubtedly some of the most exciting activities during pregnancy.

Germany offers a great variety of specialized baby stores like BabyWalz or Babymarkt, where you can get everything from strollers, car seats, nursery furniture, baby and maternity clothes, and so much more. You can either shop online or visit their local branches in most major cities. 

When buying baby or maternity clothes, most major retailers offer specialized baby and maternity sections (C&A, H&M, Zara, and many more). It is always helpful for soon-to-be moms also to look online as shops often have a wider variety on the website than in stores.

If you are interested in getting baby supplies second-hand, Vinted or eBay-Kleinanzeigen are the two most popular apps. Almost all cities have second-hand shops focused on babies, children, and maternity clothing. In Düsseldorf, ‘KlammOtte‘ is one example.

Germany’s favorite drugstores, dm and Rossmann, are great companions during pregnancy and after birth. They offer a wide selection of baby and maternity care products and run a specialized family program called Glückskind or Babywelt. Signing up is free, and you will receive different samples of baby and maternity products, little gifts, printed guides on pregnancy, childbirth, and life with a newborn, and many valuable vouchers. In addition, their monthly newsletters, which match your baby’s age, are delightful as they include exciting insights into your baby’s development and many tips, tricks, and family activities. Please note that all written content is only available in German.

Conclusion

Having a baby is one of life’s biggest adventures, and Germany is a wonderful country to experience it in. To highlight the essential to-do’s during pregnancy in Germany, we have created the following ’Roadmap For Your Pregnancy in Germany’. We hope it gives you a better understanding of everything you should do until your baby is born.

1st Trimester To-Do’s:

Do you think you might be pregnant? 

  • Buy a pregnancy test

Between weeks 4 and 8 of pregnancy:  

  • Find a gynecologist/midwife & schedule your first appointment

Around week 12 of pregnancy

  • Ask your gynecologist for an official confirmation of pregnancy to:
    • Inform your employer
    • Inform your health insurance (essential to receive maternity benefits during maternity leave)

2nd Trimester To-Do’s:

Between weeks 12 and 20: 

  • Sign up for a birth preparation course (start around week 27)
  • Start looking at hospitals/birthing centers

Around week 27

  • Start birth preparation course

Whenever you feel like it: Start baby shopping – You will likely feel the fittest during the second trimester

3rd Trimester To-Do’s:

Around week 30

  • Start getting essential documents translated, e.g., your birth and marriage certificates
  • If you are not married: request declaration of paternity at child services
  • Plan your parental leave & prepare your Elterngeld application

Between weeks 33 and 36: 

  • Register at your preferred hospital & pack your hospital bag

Also recommended during the third trimester: 

  • Look into childcare options
  • Find a pediatrician
  • Read up on potential insurance for your baby

Around week 40:

  • Give birth and welcome your new family member

Related Guide: Giving Birth In Germany As A Foreigner [English Guide]

FAQ’s

Can A Foreigner Give Birth In Germany?

Foreigners can give birth in Germany. If one of the baby’s parents is German or has lived in Germany for more than eight years while holding permanent residency, the child automatically receives German citizenship. In any other case, the child will commonly receive its parents’ nationality. If you are legally staying in Germany, your child may stay with you per your residence permit. However, if only one legal guardian has a residence permit, you must apply for a long-stay visa for your child. 

How Much Does Pregnancy Cost In Germany?

Pregnancy gets covered by public as well as private health insurance in Germany. Therefore, it is difficult to find information on what an individual pregnancy really costs. According to Statista, German public health insurers spent 1,62 billion euros in 2021 on pregnancy-related costs, not including the costs of giving birth. You can add additional exams to your regular prenatal care. Prices vary, from 20 euros for smaller blood tests and leading up to 550 euros for genetic blood testing or differential screenings. 

Can You Get A Job While Pregnant In Germany?

During a job interview, you do not need to disclose if you are pregnant, and employers are not allowed to ask. Please note, though, that there are jobs that you are not allowed to do once you are pregnant, as they are considered dangerous for the unborn baby. Such jobs include working with chemicals, heavy physical work, or working with children.

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About the Author

Susa was born and raised in northern Germany and has always loved traveling and exploring different cultures. She has lived in the USA and knows what it feels like to build a new home abroad. She is passionate about helping others through the jungle of German bureaucracy, culture, and customs and settling into Germany more smoothly. She lives in Düsseldorf with her husband and baby daughter.