Expecting a Baby in Germany: Check-Ups and Maternity Protection

This guide is for internationals who have recently moved to Germany and are expecting a baby. After reading it, you will know how prenatal check-ups and the Mutterpass work, how telling an employer affects your rights, what maternity protection covers before and after the birth, and where to find free advice.

• First steps: confirming the pregnancy
• Prenatal check-ups and the Mutterpass
• Telling your employer and your rights at work
• Maternity protection and maternity benefit
• Midwives, paternity and free advice
• FAQ

First steps: confirming the pregnancy

According to Handbook Germany, pharmacies and drug stores sell pregnancy tests that can be taken at home. After a positive result, the next step is a visit to a gynaecologist (Frauenarzt or Frauenärztin). The handbook suggests frauenaerzte-im-netz.de for finding one, and a family doctor (Hausarzt) can also give a referral. Saying that you are probably pregnant when you book can shorten the wait for an appointment.

At the first visit, the gynaecologist confirms the pregnancy and takes urine and blood samples. An initial ultrasound is also done to set the expected date of birth. Every pregnant person in Germany has a statutory right to medical care. The costs are covered by health insurance or by the Sozialamt (social welfare office).

Prenatal check-ups and the Mutterpass

After that first examination, the gynaecologist issues the Mutterpass (maternity record booklet). It records the results of every check-up and lists which tests are due and when. You show it at each visit to the gynaecologist, midwife or hospital. The handbook recommends carrying it at all times so that doctors can quickly see the key information in an emergency.

The handbook gives this schedule:

• A check-up every four weeks in the first months of pregnancy.
• A check-up every two weeks in the last eight weeks.
• An additional ultrasound in the third, sixth and eighth months to check the baby’s development.

At each appointment the doctor checks your weight and blood pressure and tests your urine. Sometimes they also test your blood, and they check the baby’s heartbeat. According to the handbook, these check-ups are the only way for the doctor to recognise risks early.

Tests for malformations or developmental disorders are called Pränataldiagnostik (prenatal diagnostics). They are optional, and you usually pay for them yourself. Health insurance pays only if the doctor suspects a malformation or illness. The handbook also notes that these tests do not always give precise results.

Telling your employer and your rights at work

There is no general legal duty to tell an employer about a pregnancy. The handbook suggests telling them after three months at the latest so that they can arrange a substitute. It also points out that telling them early allows protective measures at work. In a job interview, you usually do not have to mention a pregnancy, and you need not answer truthfully if asked. The exceptions are jobs that cannot be done while pregnant, such as modelling or dancing, and jobs that would endanger your health.

Once the employer knows, the Mutterschutzgesetz (MuSchG, Maternity Protection Act) applies. A pregnant employee must not be given heavy or dangerous tasks. She must not be exposed to noise, heat, humidity or time pressure, and she has a right to sufficient breaks. She must not work overtime, at night, or on Sundays and public holidays. Some work is ruled out altogether where it carries particular health risks, such as work with chemicals, radiation or pathogens, physically demanding work and night shifts.

Dismissal. From the start of the pregnancy until four months after the birth, and during parental leave, the employer cannot dismiss a pregnant employee. This protection depends on the employer knowing about the pregnancy. The handbook explains that only written notice legally secures your position, ideally a confirmation from your doctor. If you were dismissed before telling the employer, you can submit the certificate within two weeks of the dismissal. Fixed-term contracts are covered too, but the protection ends when the contract ends. The employer does not have to renew a contract that expires during the pregnancy.

Maternity protection and maternity benefit

The Mutterschutz (maternity protection period) lasts 14 weeks: 6 weeks before the expected date of birth and 8 weeks after. In the 6 weeks before the birth, you work only if you explicitly want to. In the 8 weeks after the birth, work is not allowed under any circumstances.

The period adjusts so that the full 14 weeks always remain. If the baby is born early, the time after the birth is extended by the number of days it arrived early. If the baby is late, it is extended by the extra days. For premature babies, twins or other multiples, and children born with disabilities, protection lasts until 12 weeks after the birth, making 18 weeks in total. You have to apply to your health insurance fund for this extension.

During the protection period, employees receive Mutterschaftsgeld (maternity benefit) instead of their salary. You apply to your health insurance fund at least seven weeks before the birth and send it a doctor’s certificate with the expected date. People with a mini-job or private health insurance receive a reduced benefit. They apply to the Bundesversicherungsamt (Federal Insurance Office) through its online form. The handbook does not give the amounts. If a parent wants parental leave to start right after the birth, they are expected to tell the employer at least seven weeks before the delivery.

Midwives, paternity and free advice

A Hebamme (midwife) can look after you during pregnancy and after the birth, and health insurance pays for this. You can find one through Hebammensuche.de or your gynaecologist. The handbook notes that midwives are often in high demand. Health insurance also covers a Geburtsvorbereitungskurs (birth preparation course). For the birth itself, there are two options: a Geburtsklinik (hospital maternity ward) or a Geburtshaus (birthing centre run by midwives). The handbook considers a clinic the better setting for a Risikoschwangerschaft (high-risk pregnancy).

Unmarried parents can arrange Vaterschaftsanerkennung (recognition of paternity) free of charge at the Jugendamt (youth welfare office). Which office is responsible depends on where you live, and jugendaemter.de lists them. The mother brings her Mutterpass, ID and birth certificate. The father brings his ID and birth certificate. After the birth, the baby’s birth certificate is needed as well. Foreign birth certificates need a translation by a certified translator.

For further help, the handbook’s local information page lets you search by city for counselling centres, including residence and legal counselling services. It does not say which of these are free. If you have a specific residence question, for example about a child’s citizenship, contact the Ausländerbehörde (foreigners’ authority) or a migration advice service.

FAQ

Do I pay for prenatal check-ups in Germany?

Regular check-ups are part of the statutory right to medical care in pregnancy. Health insurance or the Sozialamt covers the costs. Optional prenatal diagnostics are usually paid privately unless the doctor suspects a malformation or illness.

When do I have to tell my employer I am pregnant?

There is no general legal duty to tell them. The handbook suggests doing so after three months at the latest. Protection against dismissal depends on the employer knowing, ideally through written confirmation from your doctor. If you have already been dismissed, you can still submit the certificate within two weeks.

How long is maternity protection?

It normally lasts 14 weeks: 6 weeks before the expected date of birth and 8 weeks after. For premature babies, multiples and children with disabilities, it runs until 12 weeks after the birth, making 18 weeks in total. You have to apply to your health insurance fund for this.

When do I apply for maternity benefit?

You apply to your health insurance fund at least seven weeks before the birth, with a doctor’s certificate of the expected date. People with a mini-job or private insurance apply to the Federal Insurance Office and receive a reduced amount.

Sources: handbookgermany.de

Last verified: 5 November 2026 against the pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the responsible authority always has the final word.

This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. For your own situation, ask the foreigners’ authority (Ausländerbehörde) of your city, a recognised migration advice service or a lawyer (Rechtsanwalt).