Checklist for pregnancy
With pregnancy and childbirth, certain administrative procedures and adjustments to insurance policies become necessary. Comparis answers the most important questions, and provides a to-do list for pregnancy in Switzerland.
21.06.2022
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1. What does basic insurance cover in pregnancy?
Compulsory basic insurance covers all essential services relating to pregnancy and birth. If you are generally healthy, you can choose a deductible of 2,500 francs. The most important medical services for pregnancy, birth and follow-up are exempt from the deductible and coinsurance.
Switching health insurance during pregnancy is usually possible. However, there are a few things to bear in mind when changing basic or supplemental insurance.
2. When is it worth taking out supplemental insurance for pregnancy?
Basic insurance covers all medically necessary benefits relating to pregnancy and birth. However, if you want more flexibility, services or comfort, you will need special supplemental insurance for pregnancy.
3. Where to give birth: what should I keep in mind when bearing the costs?
In Switzerland, you are generally free to choose where you give birth. Depending on where you want to go and the ward you choose, the costs covered by your health insurer may vary.
Giving birth at hospital
Basic insurance covers the full cost of childbirth on a general ward. The hospital must be on the cantonal hospital list of your canton of residence. If you decide on a hospital outside your canton, you may have to pay additional costs yourself. You can always refer to the cantonal reference tariff as a guide. Supplemental “general ward throughout Switzerland” hospital insurance exempts you from possible additional costs in this case.
Depending on the contract, supplemental insurance may cover the cost of benefits that provide extra comfort. If you do not wish to give birth on a general ward, you should consult a health insurance provider about the costs before giving birth.
Giving birth at a birthing centre
The cost of childbirth on a general ward at a birthing centre is also covered by basic insurance. Here, too, the birthing centre must be on the cantonal hospital list of your canton of residence.
Many institutions offer the option of rooming-in. However, the costs incurred by the infant’s father are not reimbursed under basic insurance. If you have not taken out supplemental insurance, you will have to bear the costs yourself.
Giving birth at a private clinic
Giving birth at a private clinic is not covered by basic insurance. Only supplemental insurance will cover the costs incurred. Check what is covered in good time.
Home births
Your basic insurance covers all the costs of a home birth. This also includes the cost of a midwife.
4. What insurance does my baby need?
Choosing health insurance and a paediatrician for your baby
There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to health insurance for your baby. You can register your child with a health insurance company before the birth. You have three months from the birth to register your baby. Parents and children don’t have to take out insurance with the same health insurance company. It’s worth calculating and comparing different health insurance premiums.
In many regions of Switzerland, there is a shortage of paediatricians. It’s therefore important to look for one in good time. It’s best to start looking in the last trimester of pregnancy. Comparis has some tips on finding a good paediatrician.
Other types of insurance for your baby
Don’t forget to include your baby in insurance policies such as personal liability insurance. You can find out what other insurance your baby needs in the article: Health insurance for your baby.
5. How can I have paternity acknowledged?
A legal relationship automatically exists between mother and child. This is not the case with men: legally, only the mother’s husband is considered the father of the child.
The father of a child born outside of marriage does not automatically acquire any rights or obligations. This applies to inheritance law, and also to child support and maintenance obligations. The biological father can acknowledge his child. This is already possible before birth.
How to be acknowledged as a child’s father with a Swiss passport
Register with the civil registry office. As a Swiss citizen with a place of residence in Switzerland, you can register your acknowledgement of the child at any civil registry office. Swiss people living abroad can register with the civil registry office of their home town.
The documents you need to bring with you vary from canton to canton. Usually, a valid identity card and, if necessary, a confirmation of residence are required. Enquire directly with the canton in question to find out which documents you need to take with you.
How to be acknowledged as a child’s father without a Swiss passport
If you don’t have a Swiss passport, you can obtain acknowledgement from the civil registry office in your child’s place of birth, or in their mother’s place of residence or home town. To acknowledge the child, the civil registry office requires the current civil status data of the father and mother. Foreign documents must usually be certified and translated into an official Swiss language.
If your civil status data has not yet been recorded, you must also bring these documents with you. Check with the responsible civil registry office.
6. What applies to parental custody in Switzerland?
For the mother, parental responsibility begins with the birth of the child. The same applies to men who are married to the mother of the child.
The parental responsibility of a child born outside of marriage initially lies only with the mother. This is the case even if the father has acknowledged paternity of his child. Only if you declare joint parental custody after acknowledgement do the mother and father share responsibility for the child. The declaration can either...
...be submitted together with the acknowledgement of the child at the civil registry office.
...or be submitted separately to the child protection authority at a later date.
7. Can I work during pregnancy and breastfeeding?
Employers must protect expectant and breastfeeding mothers from workplace hazards. Working conditions must be designed in such a way that the health of the mother and child is not endangered. Here are some of the regulations:
Maximum working hours: during pregnancy and breastfeeding, maximum working hours must not exceed nine hours.
Additional breaks: pregnant women are entitled to additional breaks of 10 minutes every two hours.
Prohibited work: certain work is too dangerous for pregnant or breastfeeding women. You are not allowed to do this kind of work. Hazardous work is listed in the Maternity Protection Ordinance (page available in German, French and Italian).
Protection against dismissal: your employer may not terminate a permanent employment contract while you are pregnant. The protection applies from the first day of pregnancy – even if you did not know you were pregnant at the time of dismissal. If you are were dismissed before becoming pregnant, the process will be interrupted. You can only lose your job after the 16th week following the birth at the earliest.
No further employment without consent: employers may only continue to employ pregnant or breastfeeding women with their consent. If certain work is too difficult for a pregnant woman, the employer must exempt them from this. If they don’t want to work at all, you are allowed to do so without the need for a medical certificate. But note: in this case, your employer does not owe you any wages. In the event of illness, you must obtain a medical certificate to continue receiving your salary.
Breastfeeding time: in the first year of the child’s life, breastfeeding time is regarded as paid working time. If you work for at least four hours, you will have 30 minutes for breastfeeding. If you work between four and seven hours, this increases to 60 minutes. If you work more than seven hours, it is 90 minutes.
Further legal protection measures can be found in the information from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (page available in German, French and Italian).
Maternity and paternity allowances
After birth, mothers may not work for eight weeks. They are entitled to a total of 14 weeks of maternity leave. They will receive 80% of their salary during this time. However, the daily allowance is limited to a maximum of 196 francs. It is paid out for 14 weeks.
Fathers can also take two weeks of paid leave within six months of birth. You can take paternity leave in all in one go, or spread the days out. In any case, fathers are entitled to 14 daily allowance payments, each of which can be a maximum of 196 francs. Some employers offer longer paid paternity leave.
8. Do I have to register my baby at the civil registry office?
Any birth in Switzerland must be reported to the civil registry office in the place of birth. The report must be made within three days of birth. If the birth takes place in a hospital or birth centre, the institution usually takes care of the report.
Married couples can take their Swiss family ID card, also known as a family booklet, to the hospital or birth centre. Your family ID card will then be updated for you.
If the institution where you give birth does not take care of the paperwork, you must report the birth yourself. Contact the civil registry office in the place of birth to do this. The following people are authorized to make the report:
The mother of the child
The legal father of the child (the husband or the man acknowledging the child)
An authorized third party (you must provide the civil registry office with the name of the authorized third party in a written authorization)
The documents you need to submit to the civil registry office can vary from canton to canton. Find out more from your local office. Generally, you will need the following documents:
Proof of identity
Family certificate
Certificate of acknowledgement, if applicable
Joint custody documents, if applicable
Confirmation of residence
9. When do I receive family allowances?
Find out which birth and adoption allowances you’re entitled to
You are entitled to a birth or adoption allowance in accordance with the rules of your canton of residence. These are one-off allowances. Double pay-outs are not allowed. Therefore, you will only receive a single birth or adoption allowance for each child. However, there is a special case: when a child is adopted, the biological parents may receive a childbirth allowance, while the adoptive parents are entitled to an adoption allowance for the same child. If you receive unemployment benefits, you will not receive any childbirth or adoption allowances.
If the child dies during labour or is stillborn, the right to childbirth allowances still exists. The pregnancy must have lasted at least 23 weeks and the mother must have been resident or habitually resident in Switzerland for at least nine months.
Claiming child allowances
You will receive child allowance for children up to the age of 16. If your child is sick and unable to work once they are old enough, the entitlement is extended until the age of 20. The child allowance is at least 200 francs per child, per month. You must apply for child allowance. If you have not done so, you can claim the allowance retroactively for up to five years. The current estimates of these allowances can be found on the website of the Federal Social Insurance Office.
For employees: if you earn at least 597 francs per month, you are entitled to child allowance. Submit your application for family allowance to your employer. As soon as the Family Allowances Office approves the application, your employer pays the allowance together with your salary.
For self-employed persons: you can submit your application for family allowance directly to your Family Allowances Office.
For unemployed persons: if your income is less than 597 francs per month and your taxable assets are not more than 43,020 francs, you are considered unemployed for the purpose of child allowance. This does not apply to people who receive supplementary benefits through OASI/DI (Old Age and Survivors’ Insurance/Disability Insurance), maternity benefits, or a regular old-age pension. You will need to contact the Family Allowances Office in your canton.
Good to know: if your personal, financial or professional circumstances change, this could have an impact on how much allowance you are entitled to. You must report these changes to the relevant authority.
Keep education allowances in mind
For young people between 15 and 25 years of age who are in education or training, you will receive an education allowance of at least 250 francs per child, per month. The amount varies from one canton to another.
10. How do I organize a place at a crèche or daycare?
If you want to go back to work after maternity leave, you can enrol your child in a daycare centre. However, the number of places available in daycare is limited. Spots are particularly limited for toddlers. It is therefore important to start planning during pregnancy.
The following options are available for finding a daycare centre:
Contact your local municipal authority. In most cases, they will compile a list of daycare centres near you.
Enquire at your workplace. Some companies have their own daycare centres.
Kibesuisse, the Swiss Childcare Association, offers an overview of affiliated daycare centres (link available in German, French and Italian). There you can find out what you need to know when choosing a daycare centre.
11. What equipment and products do I need for my baby?
Nappies, bottles, a pram and clothes: the cost of equipment for your baby adds up.
Make sure your car is child-friendly
The requirements for your car change when you have a family. You need more space for strollers and other equipment, including a child seat. It’s important to ensure that the back seat is safe for your child. At Comparis, you can sell your old car and search for a new car. Don’t forget to compare your car insurance and adjust it if necessary.
12. Important links for families
Here are some important links for family matters:
Pro Juventute: a foundation operating throughout Switzerland that helps in emergencies and provides social services (page available in German, French and Italian).
Wir Eltern: the family magazine for Switzerland provides interesting information on topics such as having children, family life, leisure and much more (available in German).
Familienleben: a comprehensive platform for current, family-relevant topics (available in German).
Schweizerischer Hebammenverband: professional association of Swiss midwives (available in German and French).
This article was first published on 21.04.2021
