First trimester pregnant in Germany
Pregnancy is a very special and even magic period. There is a whole new life growing inside our belly. However, having a baby in a foreign country can be pretty scary and/or overwhelming. Here you can find what to expect and what to prepare during your first trimester pregnant in Germany.
Type of health insurance
The first step for any expectant mother should be to make sure that you are covered by a German health insurance. Fortunately the standard of care in Germany is very high, and pregnant women are not an exception. The guidelines followed in Germany are very similar to the recommendations from the World Health Organisation (with only some small differences). On the other hand, it is not easy to understand the complexity of health insurances in Germany. It is important to understand which type do you have and exactly what health related services it covers.
Here some details about each type of health insurance and their coverage during pregnancy:
Statutory health insurance
Statutory health insurances in Germany provide comprehensive cover for pregnant women from the beginning of your pregnancy to childbirth. All statutory health insurances cover 3 ultrasound examinations during pregnancy and tests for diseases such as rubella, hepatitis B, HIV or gestational diabetes are also free of charge. Many health insurance companies pay their members extra examinations as an additional service (“Satzungsleistungen”). Or, also very common, health insurances in Germany offer a defined budget per pregnancy to spend on not covered health related services, as a professional dental cleaning for pregnant women or toxoplasmosis screening during pregnancy.
Private health insurance
If you have private health insurance, you should check with your provider to see exactly what is covered. Private health insurance companies usually offer many additional services. Although the assumption of costs always depends on the individual provider and the selected “Tarif”. Private health insurance generally offers better services for pregnant women than statutory health insurance.
European health insurance
If you’re a temporary visitor or a tourist from the EU Germany got’s you covered! You can use your European Health Insurance Card to cover you while you are pregnant and in Germany.
No insurance during the first trimester pregnant in Germany?
Visitors from other countries should get private international travel insurance before to avoid paying medical expenses out-of-pocket because these costs can add up.
Get a gynecologist
If you don’t have one yet and if you are new in the Germany, that might be the case.
There are many ways to get informed about the options near you. If you have others friends ask them if they recommend their gynecologist and why. You can also check online the opinion of other women in many websites. Even Google Maps would tell you the gynecologists near you and their ratings. The first appointment should be between the 5th and the 8th pregnancy weeks.
Get a midwife by the first trimester pregnant in Germany
The midwife is also the one giving the pre and postpartum courses (“Geburtsvorbereitungskurse” und “Rückbildungskurs”). You could even have different midwife’s for each stage. The important is that you get all this 3 services covered. All these midwife’s services are covered by the statutory health insurance. Midwifes are really difficult to get right now in Germany, the demand is really high for the offer. That is why this is something you want to make sure you do during your first trimester pregnant in Germany!
Check here more information on why is a midwife important and how to find one!
Understand the “Mutterpass”
You will receive the Mutterpass from your gynecologist at one of your early pregnancy check ups. It is a A5 sized booklet where your information taken from medical examinations throughout the pregnancy will be noted. Also important details of yr baby’s birth will be there. It is recommended that you carry your Mutterpass with you wherever you go. In case of emergency any doctor will be able to access important health-related information about you, your pregnancy and your baby at a glance.
Learn some vocabulary, it will be helpful already during the first trimester pregnant in Germany
Motherhood in Germany is a huge opportunity to learn, including German vocabulary. You will need some new words in order to be able to communicate with your gynecologist, midwife even other pregnant women in Germany.
Check here how the maternity leave and pay works in Germany!
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