Pregnancy: medical examinations

Verified 16 March 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

What are the medical obligations during pregnancy? You must make 7 medical visits to your doctor or midwife and make mandatory medical examinations. The declaration of pregnancy takes place after the 1ster review that takes place before the end of the 3e month of pregnancy. The other exams are every month from 1er day of 4e months and until delivery. These examinations are covered by the Health Insurance. We present you the rules to know.

The 1re consultation with your doctor or midwife should take place before the end of the 3e month of pregnancy.

Declaration

Once the pregnancy is confirmed, the Health Insurance must be informed before the end of the 3e month of pregnancy.

Using your Vitale card, the doctor (general practitioner or gynecologist) or midwife fills out the declaration of your pregnancy online.

He/she sends it directly to your health insurance fund and your family allowance fund (Caf) or to the agricultural social mutual (MSA).

Otherwise, you must submit the paper declaration.

This declaration can allow you to benefit from the birth bonus if you meet the resource requirements.

Once the declaration of pregnancy has been made, a mandatory early prenatal care is performed by a doctor or midwife.

The purpose of this interview is to allow the health professional to assess, with you, your possible needs in terms of support during your pregnancy.

Prescriptions for medical examinations

During this 1re consultation, the doctor or midwife performs a complete clinical examination and prescribes the following examinations:

  • Determination of blood group and rhesus (in case of 1re pregnancy)
  • Look for certain diseases (rubella, hepatitis B, toxoplasmosissyphilis, etc.)
  • 1re so-called ultrasound of dating allowing to precisely date the beginning of pregnancy by measuring the embryo and to determine the number of embryos
  • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Testing
  • Cervico-uterine smear, if you are not up to date.

The 2e consultation must take place at 4e month of pregnancy.

FYI  

You can benefit, from 4e month of pregnancy, of a oral prevention examination.

The 3e consultation must take place at 5e month of pregnancy.

A blood test is requested to count:

  • Red blood cells looking for iron deficiency anemia
  • White blood cells
  • The platelets.

Ultrasound is done to:

  • Analyze morphology
  • Check the fetus growth.

The 4e consultation should take place at 6e month of pregnancy.

A blood test is requested to count:

The following examinationsSymptoms and diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia shall be carried out:

  • HBs Antigen Screening
  • Blood count
  • Checking for irregular antibodies, if you have a negative rhesus or if you have been transfused.

The 5e consultation must take place at 7e month of pregnancy.

A precise ultrasound:

  • The location of the placenta
  • The position of your baby in the uterus.

Ultrasound checks the baby's development.

As soon as you declared your pregnancy, you are entitled to birth and parenting preparation sessions. They are supported at 100% if conducted by a doctor or midwife.

Most of the time, these sessions take place from the 7th month of pregnancy.

These preparation sessions are used to:

  • Explain the course of pregnancy, childbirth and the aftermath of childbirth
  • Perform physical exercises, including breathing during pregnancy and childbirth
  • Learn relaxation exercises, gestures and postures to adopt during pregnancy to avoid leg edema
  • Understand the role of each member of the medical team and the delivery process
  • Know the care to bring to your child from birth
  • Prepare your return home with your baby.

FYI  

These sessions can be individual, but they are often collective to promote exchanges between future parents.

Some sessions are open to fathers to explain the birth process.

The 6e consultation must take place at 8e month of pregnancy.

You must undergo a pre-anesthetic consultation. This review is mandatory, even if you want to give birth without an epidural.

One 2e blood group determination is done during this or the next examination.

If you have a negative rhesus or if you have been transfused, the examination for irregular antibodies is repeated.

The 7e and last consultation should take place at 9e month of pregnancy.

One 2e blood group determination is done, if it has not been done at 6e examination.

If you have a negative rhesus or if you have been transfused, the examination for irregular antibodies is repeated.

Neonatal screening

Neonatal screening (48 hours) research diseases in children and also aims to screening for deafness permanent.

Please note

To date, 16 diseases are being screened for in the newborn screening program.

The diseases sought are rare, but they can be serious if not managed as early as 1ers days of life of the child.

Example :

Screening for phenylketonuria at birth, through a specific diet and follow-up, prevents the occurrence of a disability.

This neonatal screening is open free of charge for all newborns.

After information on this screening, the parents' consent is requested before taking a few drops of blood from the foot or hand of the newborn.

FYI  

Medical biology tests for the newborn screening program are done on a blood sample taken 48 hours after birth. Otherwise, the blood sample is taken between 48 hours and 72 hours after birth and, if not possible, beyond 72 hours after birth.

The results are only communicated to the parents in case of problems.

Postnatal Interview

One postnatal interview early mandatory is performed by a doctor or midwife between the 4e and 8e weeks after delivery.

The objectives of this interview are to:

  • Identify early signs of postpartum depression or risk factors for it
  • Assess the possible needs of the woman or spouse in terms of support.

A second interview may be proposed, between the 10e and 14e weeks following childbirth, to women who are in any of the following situations:

  • Women who gave birth for the 1re times
  • Women who have been found to have signs of postpartum depression or risk factors for it.

Postnatal examination

One postnatal examination must be carried out in the 8 weeks after delivery.

Maternity Insurance covers:

  • Immediate or delayed resuscitation of the newborn in vital distress
  • Supervision in an obstetric unit of a child whose condition requires, for example, acute care
  • The medical conditioning and supervision of a newborn for medical transfer to a specialized center.

Screening for cytomegalovirus in pregnant women

The Social Security Financing Act for 2024 gives the State the possibility to set up a screening program for cytomegalovirus in pregnant women after consulting the High Health Authority. Upon publication of this notice, this page will be updated.

Until then, the information on this page remains valid.