Prenatal Screenings During Pregnancy
Everything You Need to Know About Prenatal Checkups During Pregnancy at a Glance
- During pregnancy, you are legally entitled to 10 prenatal checkups.
- The appointments are initially scheduled monthly and then every two weeks starting in the 32nd week of pregnancy.
- You can choose between care from your OB/GYN or your midwife.
- Three routine ultrasound exams take place at a gynecologist’s office.
- Additional IGeL services are optional and subject to a fee.
10 Prenatal Care Visits: What Does That Mean?
Pregnancy is a time full of anticipation, but it also brings many questions and changes. Good to know: With prenatal care, you’ll receive excellent medical support right from the start. The goal of regular prenatal checkups is to support the baby’s healthy development and identify potential risks to both mother and child early on. In this article, learn about the prenatal care services you’re entitled to during your pregnancy.
How will I receive medical care during my pregnancy?
To ensure your baby has a healthy start in life, you’ll receive the best possible medical care even before the birth. Throughout your pregnancy, you’re legally entitled to a total of 10 prenatal checkups.
Aside from the ultrasound appointments, you can choose who will perform the checkups listed in your prenatal care record: your midwife or your OB-GYN. It’s entirely up to you to decide who you feel most comfortable with. In both cases, the costs are covered by your public health insurance.
How often do prenatal checkups take place?
Prenatal care focuses on the health of the mother and child.
Unless it is a high-risk pregnancy, routine checkups are scheduled once a month following the initial examination. Starting in the 32nd week of pregnancy, appointments take place every two weeks.
You will receive your prenatal care booklet at your initial exam. You should carry it with you at all times from now on.
What is checked during prenatal care?
Routine prenatal checkups include the following standard tests:
- Listening to the baby's heartbeat
- Measuring the mother’s blood pressure
- Checking weight gain
- Testing urine for kidney problems and diabetes
- Testing blood for possible iron deficiency
- Measuring the size and height of the uterus
- Determining the baby’s position
- Checking for possible fluid retention or varicose veins
These examinations are free of charge as part of the statutory prenatal care program.
Which infectious diseases are screened for during preventive health checkups?
At the beginning of pregnancy, various infectious diseases are screened for using swabs, blood tests, and other laboratory tests. Pregnant women are screened free of charge for
- rubella immunity
- chlamydia
- hepatitis B
- syphilis
- HIV
When are ultrasound exams performed?
Three ultrasound exams are scheduled during the course of the pregnancy to monitor the baby’s growth and development. These exams can only be performed at a gynecologist’s office. These appointments take place:
- 1st examination: 9th to 12th week of pregnancy
- 2nd examination: 19th to 22nd week of pregnancy
- 3rd Exam: Weeks 29 to 32 of pregnancy
If the findings are abnormal or if there are specific risks, your doctor will likely recommend additional ultrasound exams or special tests.
What are voluntary individual health services (IGeL services)?
Your OB-GYN may offer you additional personalized health services during your pregnancy. These services are also known as IGeL services.
You can opt for IGeL services if they make you feel more at ease. However, from a medical standpoint, they are not strictly necessary during a normal pregnancy. For this reason, you must pay for them yourself.
As a general rule, you should trust your instincts and not let yourself get unnecessarily worried. If there is a justified suspicion of a specific risk during the course of your pregnancy, your doctor will certainly order all medically necessary tests.
Of course, your doctor or midwife is also available to answer any other health-related questions you may have regarding your pregnancy.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers About Prenatal Care
Where can we find help and advice?
In addition to medical care, there are numerous counseling and support services available during pregnancy.
The gynecologist’s office is the first point of contact during pregnancy for checkups, questions about physical changes and symptoms, or assessments of how the pregnancy is progressing.
Midwives often provide counseling long before the birth and serve as important companions for expectant mothers throughout pregnancy.
Pregnancy and family counseling centers support expectant parents in emotionally stressful situations and with decision-making related to pregnancy and childbirth. Using the database of the Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG), you can find a pregnancy counseling center near you with just a few clicks. You can find information about general family counseling centers or local family offices through our Family Guides here on the Family Portal.
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