150 country guides
Country guides
Maternity leave and pay, antenatal appointments, screening, vaccines and birth registration — for the UK, US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland.
AUAntenatal classes in AustraliaMedicare does not cover childbirth preparation classes in Australia, though some hospitals run them…AUThe antenatal appointment schedule in AustraliaThe Australian Pregnancy Care Guidelines advise 10 antenatal visits in a first pregnancy, 7 in…AUBaby loss and miscarriage support in Australia: leave and helpThe Fair Work Act preserves parental leave after a stillbirth and gives two days' compassionate…AURegistering a birth in Australia: the 60-day ruleBirths must be registered with your state or territory registry within 60 days, and it is free. The…AUBreastfeeding support in AustraliaThe ABA Breastfeeding Helpline runs 24/7 on 1800 686 268. Add a free nurse line, a child health…AUChildcare costs in AustraliaCentre Based Day Care averaged $14.50 an hour in the March quarter 2026. See how Child Care…AUThe cost of having a baby in Australia: public against privateA public Medicare birth in Australia costs you nothing. Going private means gap fees on top of…AUDisability and additional-needs support for a child in AustraliaAustralia's NDIS early childhood approach supports children under 9 with developmental delay or…AUFinancial help for new parents in AustraliaThe Newborn Upfront Payment is a $708 lump sum and the Newborn Supplement adds up to $2,125.76 over…AUFlying and travel when pregnant in Australia: distance is the issueAustralian flights are long, so carrier cut-offs and clot precautions matter more here. Check the…AUHealth insurance and maternity cover in Australia: the 12-month ruleAustralian law caps the hospital waiting period for pregnancy and birth at 12 months. What that…AUCatching up on missed immunisations in AustraliaBeing on an approved catch-up schedule counts as up to date for Family Tax Benefit and Child Care…AUMaternity leave in Australia: 12 months, and how to get 24Unpaid parental leave in Australia is 12 months under the Fair Work Act, with a right to request 12…AUParental Leave Pay in Australia: rates, eligibility and deadlinesParental Leave Pay is $200.94 a day, $1,004.70 a week, for up to 130 days for babies born from 1…AUPerinatal mental health support in AustraliaPANDA National Helpline is 1300 726 306 and ForWhen navigators are on 1300 24 23 22. Which…AUNewborn tests in AustraliaAustralian babies are offered a free bloodspot heel prick 48 to 72 hours after birth, plus a…AUPaternity and partner leave in AustraliaAustralia has one shared scheme. Families get 130 days of Parental Leave Pay at $200.94 a day for…AUPostnatal checks in AustraliaAustralian babies see a child health nurse at birth, 1 to 4 weeks, 6 to 8 weeks and 4, 6 and 12…AUPregnancy sick leave in Australia: personal leave and no safe job leaveAustralian employees get 10 days paid personal leave a year, plus unpaid special parental leave for…AUEnrolling your baby in Medicare in AustraliaThe Newborn Child Declaration in your Parent Pack does four jobs at once. How to enrol your baby in…AUReturning to work after parental leave in Australia: your rightsThe Fair Work Act guarantees your pre-parental leave position back, gives you ten keeping in touch…AUScreening tests in pregnancy in AustraliaCombined first trimester screening runs 11 to 14 weeks and the morphology scan 18 to 22. See every…AUVaccines in pregnancy in AustraliaWhooping cough at 20 to 32 weeks, flu at any stage and RSV from 28 weeks are free on the National…AUWhere to give birth in Australia: hospital, birth centre or homeIn Australia you can give birth at home, in a birth centre or in a public or private hospital. What…AUWho leads your pregnancy care in Australia: models of care explainedIn Australia your pregnancy care can be led by a midwife, a GP obstetrician or an obstetrician.…CAPrenatal classes in Canada: what is free, what costs moneyCanada runs no national prenatal education programme. Toronto and Alberta offer free public…CAThe prenatal appointment schedule in CanadaCanada has no national prenatal visit schedule. In practice it is every 4 weeks to 28, every 2 to 3…CABaby loss and miscarriage support in Canada: leave and helpFederal law now gives eight weeks' leave after a stillbirth and three days after other pregnancy…CARegistering a birth in Canada, province by provinceBirth registration in Canada is provincial. Ontario and Quebec give you 30 days. Bundled online…CABreastfeeding support in Canada: who helps, and how to reach themEvery province runs its own breastfeeding help. Dial 811 for a free nurse or dietitian in most of…CAChildcare costs in Canada: fees, caps and who pays whatCanadian families paid a mean $435 a month for full-time centre-based care in 2025. Ontario caps…CAThe cost of having a baby in Canada: what is not coveredHospital and physician care for a birth is insured across Canada. The costs that land on you are…CADisability and additional-needs support for a child in CanadaSupport for a child with a disability in Canada splits federal tax credits and provincial…CAFinancial help for new parents in Canada: benefits beyond parental leaveOntario pays up to $1,760 a child a year and Quebec up to $3,068 in 2026. One federal tax return…CAFlying and travel when pregnant in Canada: rules and coverCanadian carriers each set their own gestational cut-offs, and your provincial health plan pays…CAHealth coverage for pregnancy in Canada: provincial plans explainedMaternity care in Canada is paid for by provincial health insurance, not a national plan. What…CAImmunisation catch-up in Canada: missed doses and moving provinceMissed doses rarely mean starting again. Ontario law can exclude a pupil from school, and…CAMaternity leave in Canada: job protection and EI are separateIn Canada your job-protected leave and your EI money come from two different laws. Which one covers…CAEI maternity and parental benefits in CanadaEI maternity leave is 15 weeks at 55%, up to $729 a week in 2026. Parental benefits split into…CAPostpartum mental health support in Canada: how to actually get help9-8-8 answers calls and texts across Canada, 24 hours a day. Specialist perinatal clinics need a…CANewborn tests in Canada: the heel prick, heart and hearing checksCanadian newborn screening takes a heel prick blood spot at 24 to 48 hours. Ontario adds pulse…CAPaternity and partner leave in Canada: what the other parent getsOutside Quebec, Canada has no paternity benefit at all. Parents share one pool of EI parental…CAPostnatal checks in Canada: the schedule for you and your babyCanada sets no national postnatal schedule. Most family doctors follow the Rourke Baby Record: a…CAPregnancy sick leave in Canada: medical leave, EI sickness and provincesCanada's sick leave rules split federal and provincial. Federally regulated workers get 10 paid…CARegistering your baby with a doctor in Canada: health card and primary careYour baby needs a provincial health card before most services see them. Ontario gives 8 weeks for…CAReturning to work after maternity leave in Canada: your rightsReinstatement, benefit continuation and seniority are protected in Canada, but the notice rules and…CAPrenatal screening tests in CanadaOntario funds eFTS from 11 weeks 2 days and second trimester screening to 20 weeks 6 days. See…CAVaccines in pregnancy in CanadaTdap at 27 to 32 weeks in every pregnancy, flu at any stage and COVID-19 because pregnancy is high…CAWhere to give birth in Canada: hospital, birth centre or homeBirth settings in Canada are set province by province. What British Columbia and Ontario actually…CAWho leads your maternity care in Canada: midwife, GP or obstetricianIn Canada a midwife, family doctor or obstetrician can lead your pregnancy care, and the rules are…GBAntenatal classes in the UKNHS antenatal classes are free and usually start 8 to 10 weeks before your due date. See what they…GBAntenatal appointment schedule in the UKFirst pregnancy? The NHS offers 10 antenatal appointments plus 2 scans; 7 if you have given birth…GBBaby loss and miscarriage support in the UK: leave, pay and helpStillbirth after 24 weeks gives full maternity leave and pay plus two weeks' bereavement leave.…GBRegistering a birth in the UKBirths in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must be registered within 42 days, Scotland within…GBBreastfeeding support in the UKThe National Breastfeeding Helpline answers on 0300 100 0212, 24 hours a day. Here is who picks up,…GBChild car seat law in the UK and taking your baby homeUK law needs a car seat until 12 years or 135cm, whichever comes first, and i-Size seats stay…GBChildcare costs in the UKEnglish nurseries charged a mean of £7.18 an hour for under-2s in 2025. See what 30 funded hours…GBThe cost of having a baby in the UK: what you actually payNHS maternity care is free at the point of use in the UK. The real costs are prescriptions, dental,…GBDisability support for a child in the UK: DLA, CDP and Carer's AllowanceDisability Living Allowance for children in the UK is £30.30 to £194.60 a week. What the two…GBFinancial help for new parents in the UKSure Start Maternity Grant is a one-off £500. Healthy Start pays £9.30 a week for a baby under 1.…GBFlying and travel when pregnant in the UK: cut-offs and lettersMost airlines stop carrying you at 37 weeks, or 32 with twins, and want a doctor's letter after 28.…GBMaternity cover in the UK: who gets free NHS care and who is chargedNHS maternity care in the UK is residence-based, not insurance-based. Who qualifies as ordinarily…GBCatching up on missed vaccinations in the UKA missed vaccine dose is not a lost dose and the course is never restarted. How UK catch-up works,…GBMaternity leave in the UK: how long you get and when it startsStatutory Maternity Leave in the UK is 52 weeks and every employee gets it from day one. How the 52…GBMaternity leave and pay in the UKStatutory Maternity Pay is 90% of your wages for 6 weeks, then £194.32 weekly to week 39. See the…GBPerinatal mental health support in the UKYou can refer yourself to NHS talking therapies without a GP. Here is how UK perinatal mental…GBNewborn tests in the UKUK babies are offered three newborn tests: a physical examination within 72 hours, the blood spot…GBPaternity and partner leave in the UKUK Paternity Leave is 2 weeks from day one of a job, paid at £194.32 a week in 2026/27. See the…GBPostnatal checks in the UKNHS midwife visits run to about day 10, a health visitor comes at 10 to 14 days, and you and your…GBPregnancy sick leave in the UK: sick pay, appointments and the 4-week trapStatutory Sick Pay in the UK is £123.25 a week for 2026 to 2027. What pregnancy-related sickness…GBRegistering your baby with a GP in the UKYour baby needs their own GP registration, not a line on yours. What the form asks for, how long it…GBReturning to work after maternity leave in the UK: your rightsEight weeks' notice to change your return date, a day-one right to request flexible working, ten…GBScreening tests offered in pregnancy in the UKThe NHS offers free screening for HIV, hepatitis B, syphilis and sickle cell, plus Down's, Edwards'…GBVaccines in pregnancy in the UKThe NHS offers whooping cough vaccine from 16 weeks, RSV from 28 weeks and flu at any stage.…GBWhere to give birth in the UK: home, midwifery unit or hospitalThe NHS offers three birth settings in the UK: home, a midwifery unit or birth centre, and a…GBWho leads your maternity care in the UK: midwife, GP or consultantIn the UK a midwife normally leads your NHS pregnancy care, with doctors brought in as needed. How…IEAntenatal classes in Ireland: free classes and when to bookAntenatal classes in Ireland are usually free through your maternity unit. Book after your booking…IEThe antenatal care schedule in IrelandFree maternity care in Ireland under the Maternity and Infant Care Scheme: 6 GP and 6 hospital…IEBaby loss and miscarriage support in Ireland: leave and helpA stillbirth in Ireland gives full maternity leave and 26 weeks of Maternity Benefit. The…IERegistering a birth in IrelandRegister within 3 months and the PPS number and Child Benefit forms arrive automatically.…IEBreastfeeding support in Ireland: free help and where to find itThe HSE runs a live chat with a breastfeeding expert on weekdays from 10am to 3pm, plus a…IEChildcare costs in Ireland: NCS subsidies and free preschoolThe universal NCS subsidy is EUR 2.14 an hour for up to 45 hours a week. Income-assessed rates…IEThe cost of having a baby in Ireland: public, semi-private, privatePublic maternity care in Ireland is free for everyone through the Maternity and Infant Care Scheme.…IEDisability and additional-needs support for a child in IrelandDomiciliary Care Allowance in Ireland is 380 euro a month at the full rate for a child under 16…IEFinancial help for new parents in Ireland: Child Benefit and beyondChild Benefit is EUR 140 a month for each child in 2026, and a EUR 280 New Baby Grant arrives with…IEFlying and travel when pregnant in Ireland: what to arrangeIrish carriers each set their own gestational limits and want a letter beyond about 28 weeks. The…IEHealth insurance and maternity cover in Ireland: the 52-week ruleIrish law caps the maternity waiting period on private health insurance at 52 weeks. What free…IEImmunisation catch-up in Ireland: missed doses and moving countryMissed vaccines are caught up free through your GP, and the HSE runs its own catch-up programme.…IEMaternity leave in Ireland: 26 weeks paid, 16 more unpaidIrish maternity leave is 26 weeks plus up to 16 unpaid weeks, from day one of any job. Four weeks'…IEMaternity Benefit in Ireland: rates, PRSI conditions and deadlinesMaternity Benefit is EUR 299 a week for 26 weeks for leave starting on or after 5 January 2026. See…IEPostnatal mental health support in Ireland: how to get helpThe HSE information line is freephone 1800 111 888, at any time. Samaritans answer on 116 123, and…IENewborn tests in Ireland: the heel prick and the first checksIreland's heel prick screens for 11 rare conditions between 72 and 120 hours after the birth. A…IEPaternity and parent's leave in Ireland: weeks, pay and deadlinesPaternity Benefit is EUR 299 a week for two consecutive weeks in 2026. Parent's Benefit adds nine…IEPostnatal checks in Ireland: the 2-week and 6-week appointmentsUnder the Maternity and Infant Care Scheme your GP examines your baby at 2 weeks and both of you at…IEPregnancy sick leave in Ireland: sick pay, medical visits and safety leaveStatutory Sick Pay in Ireland is 5 days a year at 70% of pay, capped at 110 euro a day. Pregnancy…IERegistering your baby with a GP in Ireland: free visits under 8Every child under 8 in Ireland is entitled to free GP visits with no means test, but only after you…IEReturning to work after maternity leave in Ireland: your rightsFour weeks' written notice, a right to your old job back, and an hour of paid breastfeeding time a…IEScreening tests in pregnancy in IrelandA dating scan before 15 weeks and an anatomy scan at 18 to 22 are free public care. Down syndrome…IEWhere to give birth in Ireland: hospital, home or DOMINOIn Ireland you can give birth in a maternity hospital or unit, or through the HSE home birth…IEWho leads your maternity care in Ireland: GP, midwife or consultantIn Ireland your GP and a maternity hospital share your care under the Maternity and Infant Care…NZAntenatal classes in New Zealand: what is free and when to bookMost New Zealand regions provide a limited number of free antenatal classes. Book before you are 16…NZAntenatal care and the Lead Maternity Carer system in New ZealandIn New Zealand you choose one Lead Maternity Carer, usually a midwife, free, for the whole…NZBaby loss and miscarriage support in New Zealand: your rightsNew Zealand gives three days' paid bereavement leave after a miscarriage or stillbirth, and…NZRegistering a birth in New ZealandRegister your baby within 2 months. It is free, done online through BDM, and a standard birth…NZBreastfeeding support in New Zealand: free help and how to reach itPlunketLine is free on 0800 933 922, around the clock, and it can book you a free lactation…NZChildcare costs in New Zealand: 20 Hours ECE and the under-3 gap20 Hours ECE covers 3, 4 and 5-year-olds only, so under-3s get nothing at all. FamilyBoost then…NZThe cost of having a baby in New Zealand: free, if you are eligibleMaternity care in New Zealand is publicly funded and free for eligible people. Eligibility is the…NZDisability and additional-needs support for a child in New ZealandChild Disability Allowance in New Zealand is $62.43 a week for each qualifying child and is not…NZFinancial help for new parents in New Zealand: Best Start and beyondBest Start pays up to $77 a week from 1 April 2026, and is income tested from year one for babies…NZFlying and travel when pregnant in New Zealand: long-haul rulesEvery international flight from New Zealand is long-haul, so carrier cut-offs, clot precautions and…NZWho pays for maternity care in New Zealand: eligibility explainedMaternity care in New Zealand is publicly funded for eligible people, not insured. What free…NZImmunisation catch-up in New Zealand: missed doses and moving countryCatch-up immunisations are free for every child under 18 in New Zealand. Rotavirus is the…NZMaternity leave in New Zealand: 26 weeks, or 52 if you qualifyPrimary carer leave in New Zealand is 26 weeks. Extended leave can take you to 52, but only on the…NZPaid Parental Leave in New Zealand: rates and eligibilityPaid parental leave in New Zealand runs 26 weeks at up to $811.05 a week before tax from 1 July…NZPostnatal mental health support in New Zealand: how to get helpCall or text 1737 free, any hour, for trained counsellors. Specialist maternal mental health teams…NZNewborn tests in New Zealand: heel prick and hearing screeningThe New Zealand heel prick is taken at 24 hours old and before 72 hours, screening over 20…NZPartner's leave in New Zealand: one or two weeks, and unpaidPartner's leave in New Zealand is 1 week after 6 months of service or 2 weeks after 12 months, and…NZPostnatal checks in New Zealand: midwife visits and Well ChildYour New Zealand midwife visits at least 7 times in the 6 weeks after birth, then hands over to a…NZPregnancy sick leave in New Zealand: 10 sick days and special leaveEligible employees in New Zealand get 10 days paid sick leave a year, plus up to 10 days unpaid…NZEnrolling your baby with a doctor in New Zealand: how and why it mattersEnrolment is free, and it is what makes visits cheap. Children aged 13 and under who are eligible…NZReturning to work after parental leave in New Zealand: rightsNew Zealand protects your job while you are on parental leave, but returning to work ends primary…NZScreening tests in pregnancy in New ZealandSeven free blood tests at your first visit, Down syndrome screening from 9 weeks, and scans capped…NZWhere to give birth in New Zealand: home, unit or hospitalIn New Zealand you can give birth at home, in a birthing centre or primary unit, or in hospital.…NZWho leads your maternity care in New Zealand: the LMC explainedIn New Zealand a lead maternity carer runs your care from pregnancy until your baby is six weeks…USChildbirth classes in the United StatesChildbirth education is not a federally mandated free preventive service in the US, so classes are…USPrenatal appointment schedule in the USMonthly to 28 weeks, twice monthly to 36, then weekly until birth: about 12 to 14 prenatal visits.…USBaby loss and miscarriage support in the US: rights and helpThere is no federal bereavement leave in the US, but the FMLA and the PWFA can both apply after a…USRegistering a birth in the USUS birth registration is state-run, not federal. The hospital files it from your worksheet. See…USBreastfeeding support in the USMost US health plans must cover a breast pump and lactation counseling at no cost. Where the free…USCar seat law in the US and taking your baby homeThere is no single US car seat law. NHTSA says rear-facing from birth and back seat to 12;…USChildcare costs in the United StatesThere is no single national US childcare price. DOL data puts median infant center care from…USThe cost of having a baby in the US: how the bill is builtUS maternity care is covered as an essential health benefit, but you still pay a deductible and…USDisability and additional-needs support for a child in the USUS support for a child with a disability runs through SSI, Medicaid and IDEA early intervention.…USFinancial help for new parents in the USWIC now reaches a family of four earning $61,050 a year. The 2026-2027 income table, who else…USFlying and travel when pregnant in the US: what to check firstUS airlines commonly allow flying to about 36 weeks, but each sets its own rule. CDC and ACOG…USHealth insurance and maternity cover in the US: what is guaranteedAll US Marketplace and Medicaid plans cover pregnancy and childbirth, even if the pregnancy began…USCatching up on missed vaccines in the USA vaccine series is never restarted, however long the gap. How the CDC catch-up table works, the…USMaternity leave in the US: what the law actually guaranteesThere is no federal paid maternity leave in the US. FMLA gives 12 unpaid weeks, but only to…USMaternity leave and pay in the USThere is no federal paid maternity leave in the US. FMLA gives 12 unpaid weeks to eligible workers.…USMaternal mental health support in the USThe National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is free and staffed 24/7 on 1-833-TLC-MAMA. Which US…USNewborn tests in the United StatesThe federal panel listed 40 core newborn screening conditions in December 2025, but states run the…USPaternity and partner leave in the United StatesThe US has no federal paid paternity leave for private-sector workers. FMLA gives 12 unpaid weeks…USPostpartum and newborn checks in the United StatesACOG says contact a maternity provider within 3 weeks of birth and have a full visit by 12 weeks.…USPregnancy sick leave in the US: FMLA, the PWFA and what is unpaidThere is no federal paid sick leave for pregnancy in the US. FMLA gives 12 unpaid workweeks if you…USChoosing a pediatrician and covering your baby in the USYou get 60 days to add a newborn to a health plan, and coverage backdates to the birth. How to pick…USReturning to work after maternity leave in the US: what you getFederal law gives you your job back after FMLA leave and break time to pump for a year. It gives…USScreening tests offered in pregnancy in the USACOG offers screening and diagnostic testing to all pregnant patients. See routine labs, cell-free…USVaccines in pregnancy in the USCDC recommends Tdap at 27 to 36 weeks every pregnancy, flu any time in season, and RSV at 32 to 36…USWhere to give birth in the US: hospital, birth center or homeIn the US, where you give birth is shaped by your insurance as much as your risk. What hospitals,…USWho leads your prenatal care in the US: OB, family doctor or midwifeIn the US you choose your own prenatal care provider: an OB, a family doctor or a midwife. What…