Prenatal Care

For a feeling of complete safety

Pregnancy marks the beginning of an exciting time for you. Doctors and midwives will support and advise you throughout your pregnancy, during childbirth, and beyond. This comprehensive medical care ensures that you and your child are well looked after.

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Prenatal care – your benefits

SBK covers the costs of your statutory prenatal care.

We cover the costs of your prenatal classes with a certified midwife.

With SBK Family Plus, you can benefit from many attractive additional services worth up to €460.

The SBK Family Health Telephone is available around the clock.

Alternatively, you can also receive digital support during your pregnancy with the Keleya app via online midwife counseling.

Want to join SBK? Arrange a free consultation now

Essential pregnancy check-ups at a glance

Regular checkups give you peace of mind that you and your baby are doing well. SBK covers the costs of the following examinations:

Initial examination (5th to 8th week of pregnancy)

Your first checkup takes place early in your pregnancy. Your doctor will take plenty of time for you and ask about your general well-being, your vaccination status, and any previous illnesses in your family. Your doctor will also advise you on nutrition, work, exercise, and travel, taking medication, consuming stimulants, and early cancer detection during your pregnancy. Here's what to expect at your first checkup:

Weight measurement

Blood pressure measurement

Urinalysis for protein, glucose, and bacteria

Blood tests (to determine hemoglobin level, blood type, and Rhesus factor, as well as antibody screening and testing for rubella and hepatitis antibodies)

General gynecological examination, palpation of the uterus and cervix

Testing for chlamydia and syphilis

HIV testing, if necessary

Follow-up examinations

Your gynecologist or midwife will monitor your health and that of your baby throughout your pregnancy. Further preventive examinations will initially take place every four weeks, and even every two weeks during the last two months of pregnancy.

Ultrasound (from the 9th week of pregnancy)

Three ultrasound examinations are included in statutory prenatal care. If any abnormalities are detected, your gynecologist will of course arrange for further examinations.

During the first routine ultrasound, the existing pregnancy is confirmed. The doctor checks whether the fertilized egg has implanted in the uterus and developed into an embryo or - starting from week 10 - into a fetus. In addition, the baby’s body length or head diameter is measured to calculate the expected due date. The baby’s heartbeat is also checked.

You can choose between two options: a basic ultrasound and an extended ultrasound. During the basic ultrasound, measurements are taken of the baby’s head, abdomen, and thigh bone. In addition, the doctor checks the position of the placenta. The extended ultrasound allows for a more detailed assessment. Among other things, the baby’s head shape, brain ventricles, cerebellum, neck and spine, chest, heart rhythm, and abdominal wall are examined, as well as the child’s bladder and stomach.

Important to know: Like the basic ultrasound, the extended ultrasound is a statutory benefit that you can easily use with your SBK health card. It is best to consult your doctor about whether this examination is appropriate in your case. Also clarify whether the extended ultrasound can be performed directly at the practice. If not, you can be referred to a practice with the appropriate qualifications.

During the final ultrasound, the baby’s growth and development are checked once again. The doctor measures the head, abdomen, and thigh bone to estimate the baby’s size and weight. In addition, the baby’s position is assessed, and the placenta and amount of amniotic fluid are checked for any abnormalities. Blood flow and nutrient supply are also evaluated.

If any abnormalities are detected during the three routine ultrasound examinations or if risks become apparent, further examinations may be carried out. Your doctor will discuss with you which additional tests are appropriate in your individual case.

Cardiotocography (CTG) (from the 26th week of pregnancy)

A fetal monitor, also known as cardiotocography/CTG, can be used, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy. This records the heartbeat of your unborn child. At the same time, the CTG measures your contractions. This tells your gynecologist whether your baby is doing well and whether it is getting enough oxygen. The CTG is now only used when medically necessary. One reason for this may be an increased risk of premature birth, for example.

Important tests for you and your baby

These tests during pregnancy provide you with the reassurance that both you and your baby are doing well. If you have any questions, feel free to consult your gynecologist’s office. SBK covers the costs for the following tests:

HIV test (5th to 8th week of pregnancy)
All pregnant women are recommended to be tested for HIV (AIDS). The test result is not entered in the maternity log, only that the test was performed.

Chlamydia test (5th to 8th week of pregnancy)
Chlamydia are pathogens that occur in the cervix and can lead to eye and lung infections in newborns, among other things. If your test is positive, you can be treated with antibiotics.

Hemoglobin content (Hb value) (5th to 8th week of pregnancy)
This test provides information about a possible iron deficiency. As a pregnant woman, you need more iron to form red blood cells. If the value is too low, your gynecologist can provide you with medical support.

Test for syphilis pathogens (Lues test) (5th to 8th week of pregnancy)
Infection with Lues (syphilis) is rare. However, if the pathogen remains undetected, it can seriously affect your child's health before and after birth. Therefore, tests are carried out to check for signs of this infection. An infection can be treated with antibiotics. The test result is not recorded in the maternity log.

Toxoplasmosis test (5th to 8th week of pregnancy)
Toxoplasmosis is an infection that is transmitted via animal-based foods and contaminated vegetables and fruit. Cat feces and garden soil are also considered to pose a risk of infection. The infection is harmless to healthy people. However, this is not the case if the initial infection with the toxoplasmosis pathogen occurs during pregnancy. In this case, there is a serious risk to both mother and child. For this reason, we cover the costs if your gynecologist suspects an infection.

As part of SBK Family-Plus, you can also take the toxoplasmosis test even if there is no suspicion of infection.

Prenatal rhesus factor determination (from the 12th week of pregnancy)
Under certain conditions, a pregnant woman can develop antibodies against the blood of her unborn baby. This is the case if the expectant mother is rhesus negative and her baby is rhesus positive. Rhesus negative means that the mother lacks a certain characteristic in her red blood cells. This test checks whether your baby is rhesus positive. If so, you can receive medication to protect your baby.

Test for gestational diabetes (24th to 28th week of pregnancy)
The blood sugar test is an important preventive examination for you and your unborn child. Gestational diabetes occurs when blood sugar levels exceed certain values during pregnancy. This also increases the risk of some rare birth complications.

SBK is there for you

Do you have any further questions about the services offered by SBK during this exciting phase of life? We are here to help. Simply arrange a callback appointment.

The so-called non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) is a blood test that can be used to examine the baby’s genetic material for trisomies 13, 18, and 21. This is not a routine prenatal screening. It is a service that can be used after medical consultation and under certain medical indications.

We cover the cost of this test:

if there is a well-founded suspicion of trisomy 13, 18, or 21 based on other examinations, and

if you and your doctor have jointly decided that the test makes sense for you personally.

As part of prenatal care, there are some additional tests available. However, these are paid for privately. Therefore, you should have a detailed consultation with your doctor to determine whether these services are appropriate for you.

A decision-making aid is provided by the IGEL Monitor. Here you can find comprehensive information about individual health services and their advantages and disadvantages.

If you decide to have additional tests, the SBK Family-Plus plan may be of interest to you. It offers attractive additional benefits related to your pregnancy worth up to €460.

You can receive prenatal care either at your gynecologist’s practice or from an independent midwife. It is also possible to alternate between the two. One exception is ultrasound examinations, which may only be performed by a gynecologist.

You can change your gynecologist during pregnancy. However, this is only possible at the beginning of a new quarter. This is because your previous practice has already billed a flat rate for the entire quarter for the care of your pregnancy.

If you change during the quarter, you will therefore receive a private invoice from the new practice.

Present your maternity log at the new practice. This will allow your doctor to immediately review the progress of your pregnancy to date. In addition, the new practice can determine whether the flat fee for care has already been billed.

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