Health insurance: Maternity services

Compulsory health insurance covers not only the same maternity services as for sickness but also specific services.

What are the specific maternity services?

The following specific maternity services will be paid for by the compulsory health insurance:

Check-ups performed by a doctor or a midwife or prescribed by a doctor, during and after pregnancy,
Birth at home, in hospital or in a birthing centre,
A contribution to the cost of antenatal classes,
Breastfeeding advice,
Services provided by midwives before, during and after the birth.

Cost contributions

The insurer may not ask for any cost contributions for specific maternity services. In addition, as of the 13th week of pregnancy and up until eight weeks after the birth, no contribute ion to the cost of general medical services or care in the event of illness is required.

For check-ups carried out before the 13th week of pregnancy - considered "specific maternity services" - no contribution to costs is required.

Home visits ordered by a doctor and conducted by a midwife more than 56 days after delivery in order to check up on the mother and baby are also considered to be "specific maternity services" and no contribution to costs is required.

Services by midwives

Compulsory health insurance will cover the following services performed by a midwife:

Check-ups
Referral for a medical ultrasound scan
Pre-partum cardiotocography
Post-partum check-up between the sixth and tenth week after birth
Antenatal classes: compulsory health insurance will pay a contribution of CHF 150 for individual or group antenatal classes.
Breastfeeding consultations: compulsory health insurance will pay for three consultations.

In the first 56 days after delivery, compulsory health insurance will cover follow-up care at home by a midwife as follows:

following a premature or multiple birth, for first-time mothers or after a Caesarean section, the midwife may make a maximum of 16 visits on a maximum of five occasions, may make a second visit on the same day. Further home visits must be ordered by a doctor.
in other situations a maximum of 10 home visits, and in the ten days after the birth, the midwife may, in addition to the home visits, make a second home visit on the same day on a maximum of five occasions. Further home visits must be ordered by a doctor.

Once the first 56 days after delivery have elapsed, further home visits only be covered by compulsory health insurance if ordered by a doctor.