Before the birth

Apply for parental allowance

If you look after your child after the birth, the parental allowance compensates for part of the loss of income.

Register parental leave

You can plan your 3 years of parental leave flexibly, but you must meet certain requirements. You must give notice of your parental leave to your employer.

Parental leave utilization

When you become parents, you are entitled to unpaid time off from work, provided you meet certain requirements. You must register the parental leave with your employer in writing.

Show home birth

Every birth must be reported to the registry office responsible for the place of birth. If your child is born in a hospital or other obstetrics facility, the notification is made by this facility. In the case of home births, the parents are obliged to register the birth.

Apply for maternity benefit

Under what conditions do you receive maternity benefit?

Declaring joint custody of a child

If you as parents are not married to each other at the time of your child's birth, you can obtain joint custody by both submitting declarations of custody.

Maternity recognition

If you wish to make a declaration recognizing the maternity of your child, insofar as this is required by your home law or the law of the country in which the child has its habitual residence.

Recognition of paternity

If you wish to make a declaration acknowledging paternity of a child and a declaration of consent by the mother, this can be publicly notarized at any registry office, youth welfare office or notary's office.

Show birth

The birth of a child must be reported to the registry office responsible for the place of birth. If your child is born in a hospital or other facility where obstetric care is...

Applying for household help for people with statutory health insurance during pregnancy and after childbirth

If you are unable to run your household due to pregnancy or childbirth, you are entitled to household help under certain conditions. You can apply for this from your statutory health insurance fund.

Parental responsibility for minor children

In this section, you will find information on your rights and obligations regarding birth, maintenance obligations for children in cross-border family situations, and surrogacy and adoption.

Granting midwifery assistance

• If you are pregnant or have just given birth, you can make use of the services of a midwife

Applying for maternity benefit as a person with statutory health insurance

If you become a mother, you can receive maternity benefit. You are also entitled to maternity benefit after a miscarriage from the 13th week of pregnancy, provided you take maternity leave.

Apply for maternity benefit as a privately insured person or with a statutory health insurance fund as a family insured person

As an expectant mother, you can apply for maternity benefit from the Federal Social Security Office (BAS) for the period of protection before and after childbirth and for the day of childbirth. You must meet certain requirements for this.

Apply for cost coverage for measures to induce pregnancy

If you have been diagnosed by a doctor as being unable to conceive naturally and artificial insemination is suitable, the statutory health insurance funds will cover part of the costs under certain conditions.

Apply for cost coverage for abortion for people with statutory health insurance

If a termination of pregnancy is necessary, you can apply to your statutory health insurance provider to have the costs covered under certain conditions.