Pregnancy: Medical check-ups

Verified 14 August 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Screening pregnant women for cytomegalovirus (Herpesvirus)

Published on 1 January 2024

Law No. 2023-1250 of 26 December 2023 on financing social security for 2024 gives the State the possibility to set up a screening program for cytomegalovirus (Herpesvirus) in pregnant women.

A decree is foreseen to define the modalities for the implementation of this program.

Once this text is published, this page will be updated.

In the meantime, this information remains valid.

What are medical requirements during pregnancy? You must have 7 medical visits to your doctor or midwife and have mandatory medical examinations. The declaration of pregnancy takes place after 1er examination which takes place before the end of 3e months of pregnancy. Other tests are done monthly starting on the 1ster day of 4e months and until delivery. These tests are covered by the Health Insurance. Here are the rules to know.

The 1re consultation with your doctor or midwife should take place before the end of 3e month pregnancy.

Statement

Once pregnancy is confirmed, Health Insurance must be informed before the end of 3e months of pregnancy.

Using your vital card, the doctor (general practitioner or gynecologist) or midwife fills out the declaration of your pregnancy online.

He/she transmits it directly to your health insurance fund and to your family allowance fund (Caf) or to the agricultural social insurance fund (MSA).

If not, you must submit the paper return.

This declaration may allow you to benefit from the birth grant if you meet the resource requirements.

FYI  

Once a pregnancy has been declared, a compulsory early prenatal care is done by a doctor or midwife.

The purpose of this interview is to allow the healthcare professional to assess, with you, your possible needs in terms of support during your pregnancy.

Requirements for medical examinations

During this 1re consultation, the doctor or midwife does a full physical examination and prescribes the following tests:

  • Determination of blood type and rhesus (if 1re pregnancy)
  • Check for certain diseases (rubella, hepatitis B, toxoplasmosis, syphilis...)
  • 1re ultrasound examination date stamp allowing precise dating of the onset of pregnancy by measuring the embryo and determining the number of embryos
  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing
  • Cervix smear, if you're out of date.

The seconde consultation shall take place at 4e months of pregnancy.

Ultrasonography is done to do the following:

  • Check for malformations
  • Specify the size of the baby.

FYI  

You can benefit from the 4e month of pregnancy, of a oral preventive examination.

The 3e consultation must take place on 5e months of pregnancy.

A blood test is required to account for:

  • Red blood cells for iron deficiency anemia
  • White blood cells
  • Platelets.

The 4e consultation must take place on 6e months of pregnancy.

A blood test is required to account for:

The following testsSymptoms and Diagnosis of Iron Deficiency Anemia shall be carried out:

  • HBs antigen screening
  • Blood count
  • Checking for irregular antibodies, if you have Rh-negative blood or have been transfused.

The 5the consultation should take place on 7e months of pregnancy.

Accurate ultrasonography:

  • Location of the placenta
  • Your baby's position in the womb.

Ultrasonography verifies the baby's development.

The 6e consultation must take place on 8e months of pregnancy.

You should have a pre-anesthetic consultation. This review is obligatory, even if you want to give birth without an epidural.

One 2e blood typing is done during this or the next test.

If you have negative Rh or if you have been transfused, the examination for irregular antibodies is repeated.

The 7e and the last consultation is scheduled for the 9the months of pregnancy.

One 2e blood typing is carried out, if this has not been done at 6e examination.

If you have negative Rh or if you have been transfused, the examination for irregular antibodies is repeated.

Neonatal screening

Newborn screening (3 days) seeks Diseases in children and also aims to to screen for deafness permanent.

Please note

The number of diseases screened is likely to increase based on the advice of the High Health Authority

Desired disorders are rare, but they can be serious if not treated as early as 1ers child's life days.

Example :

Screening for phenylketonuria at birth helps prevent disability by monitoring.

This newborn screening is open for free for all newborns.

Parental consent is sought.

FYI  

The medical biology tests in the newborn screening program are done on a sample of blood taken 48 hours after birth. If not, blood sampling is done 48 to 72 hours after birth and, if not possible, after 72 hours after birth.

Postnatal interview

One postnatal interview mandatory early is performed by a doctor or midwife between the 4e and 8e weeks after delivery.

The objectives of the interview are to:

  • Identify early signs of postpartum depression or risk factors for it
  • To assess the possible needs of the woman or spouse in terms of support.

A second interview may be offered, between the 10e and 14e weeks who are following childbirth, to women who are in one of the following situations:

  • Women who have given birth for 1re time
  • Women who have been found to have signs of postpartum depression or have risk factors for it.

Postnatal examination

One postnatal examination must be carried out within 8 weeks after delivery.