Pregnancy

If you have recently arrived in the Netherlands and are pregnant, you will have to deal with many things new to you. Even if you have become pregnant after living in the Netherlands for some time, you are likely to have many questions. The Netherlands probably associates being pregnant and giving birth with different customs and practices than those you are used to.

The midwife

In the Netherlands, a woman who is pregnant sees a midwife frequently. The midwife keeps track of the development of the unborn child and the condition of the mother. The midwife also supervises the birth (whether at home or the hospital).

You can call a midwife’s practice (or in many cases, contact the practice online) from the moment your pregnancy test is positive. Somewhere between the 8th and 10th week, the first visit to the midwife will take place. If you take medicines or have high blood pressure or another disorder, it would be wise to contact your GP.

Maternity care

Someone who has just given birth receives maternity care in the Netherlands. You do not have to pay for it. The cost of maternity care is covered by your health insurance provider. The maternity assistant will help you care for the newborn baby, receive visitors, and will also take care of the housekeeping. You should make arrangements for maternity care before the 16th week of your pregnancy.

Health insurance

If you are pregnant, you should have a good look at your health insurance policy. Pregnancy, giving birth and maternity care involve additional costs. Some of these costs will be covered by the basic health insurance policy. To cover some of the other costs, you might be wise to arrange supplementary insurance for the coming year.