Becoming a mother in a foreign country can feel overwhelming, especially when you are navigating a new healthcare system, cultural expectations, and administrative processes. If you are expecting a baby in France, you will be happy to know that the French healthcare system is highly supportive of pregnant women and offers excellent prenatal and postnatal care.
In this article, we’ll guide you through everything you should know about pregnancy in France, from medical appointments to maternity leave and the support available if you don’t speak French fluently.

The French Healthcare System and Pregnancy Care

France is known for its high-quality healthcare, and pregnancy care (suivi de grossesse) is no exception. Prenatal care is well-structured, mandatory, and mostly covered by the French Social Security system (Sécurité Sociale).

Choosing Your Maternity Care Provider

In France, you have different options for prenatal care:

• Obstetrician-gynecologist (obstétricien/gynécologue): Particularly recommended for high-risk pregnancies.
• Midwife (sage-femme): Ideal for low-risk pregnancies and natural birth journeys.
• General practitioner (médecin généraliste): Can also follow your pregnancy early on, especially in smaller towns.

Additionally, you can choose to be supported emotionally and practically by a Doula or a perinatal companion (accompagnante périnatale).
While Doulas are not medical professionals in France, they offer invaluable emotional support, preparation for birth, help with decision-making, and postpartum support.
Having a Doula can be especially reassuring if you are far from family, if you face language barriers, or simply want a more personalized experience throughout your motherhood journey.

At Motherhood in France, we offer English-speaking support and personalized guidance for pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood, helping you feel confident and connected even if French isn’t your first language.

Important Medical Appointments

After discovering your pregnancy, you should book an appointment as soon as possible to confirm it medically.
Here’s the typical schedule for prenatal care in France:

• First consultation (before the end of the 3rd month): Official confirmation of pregnancy and creation of your pregnancy declaration.
• Three mandatory ultrasounds:
  • 12 weeks (first trimester scan)
  • 22 weeks (mid-pregnancy scan)
  • 32 weeks (third trimester scan)
• Monthly prenatal check-ups: From the 4th month of pregnancy until birth.

From the sixth month onwards, most costs related to pregnancy are fully covered by the French healthcare system.

Administrative Steps During Pregnancy

France is a country of paperwork, and pregnancy involves a few administrative steps to ensure you are well-covered.

Declaring Your Pregnancy

You must declare your pregnancy to your Caisse d’Assurance Maladie (Health Insurance Fund) before the end of the 14th week.
Your doctor or midwife will provide the necessary form (Déclaration de grossesse).

This declaration is key to unlocking your access to maternity leave, free pregnancy care, and family benefits.

Tip: If you need help understanding forms or official procedures in French, Motherhood in France can assist you every step of the way with translations and guidance adapted to your situation.

Finding a Maternity Hospital (Maternité)

It’s essential to register early at a maternity hospital (maternité), especially in big cities where places fill up quickly.

Options include:

• Public hospitals (hôpital public)
• Private clinics (clinique privée)
• Birth centers (maison de naissance) – available for low-risk pregnancies seeking a more natural approach.

Choosing your maternité early also lets you know whether they encourage practices like physiological birth, skin-to-skin bonding, and breastfeeding support.

Financial Support for Pregnant Women

France offers generous financial and healthcare support for pregnant women.

Health Coverage

Most prenatal consultations and birth-related care are either fully or partially reimbursed:

• 70% early in pregnancy
• 100% from the 6th month onward

Many women also subscribe to a mutuelle (supplementary health insurance) to cover any remaining costs.

Family Benefits (Allocations)

Depending on your income, you may qualify for:

• Birth allowance (prime à la naissance): Paid after birth to help with initial baby expenses.
• Monthly child benefit (allocation de base): Paid until your child is three years old.

Benefits are administered by the CAF (Caisse d’Allocations Familiales), and application support can also be part of the assistance available through Motherhood in France.

Maternity Leave in France

France’s maternity leave is quite generous:

• 16 weeks for the first child (6 before, 10 after birth)
• Extended leave for twins, triplets, or third children.

During maternity leave, your employment contract is protected, and you receive maternity pay based on your prior earnings.

Make sure to inform your employer and provide a medical certificate specifying your due date.

Birthing Options and Prenatal Classes

France promotes childbirth preparation through prenatal classes (préparation à l’accouchement), which are often reimbursed.

You can choose classes tailored to your needs:

• Traditional breathing and labor preparation
• Sophrology
• Hypnobirthing
• Prenatal yoga
• Water birth preparation (in select maternity hospitals)

Prenatal classes also provide a great opportunity to discuss pain management options, such as the highly popular epidural (péridurale) or explore natural birth preferences.

A Doula can complement these classes by providing continuous, personal support before, during, and after labor, helping bridge gaps in hospital protocols or language barriers.

Giving Birth in France

When labor starts, you contact your maternity hospital or midwife.

Expect:

• Well-equipped delivery rooms (salle d’accouchement)
• Immediate postpartum care
• Breastfeeding support, if desired

Hospital stays after birth typically last three to five days, offering you and your baby time to recover under professional care.

Postpartum Care and Support

France places a strong emphasis on postnatal care (suivi postnatal).

Home Visits

A midwife can visit you at home to check your recovery and your baby’s health. This service is free under the public health system.

If you want extra emotional and practical support — for example, understanding French medical advice, feeling confident in early parenting choices, or preventing postpartum isolation — personalized postnatal Doula services, like those offered by Motherhood in France, can be a vital source of care.

Postnatal Check-up and Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation

At 6 to 8 weeks postpartum, you will have a compulsory medical check-up.
You may also be prescribed sessions of pelvic floor rehabilitation (rééducation périnéale), a uniquely French practice focused on helping mothers regain core and pelvic strength after childbirth.

Conclusion

Pregnancy in France is supported by a strong healthcare system, generous social protections, and a cultural emphasis on maternal well-being.
Although the system can seem complex at first, especially if you are not fluent in French, you are never alone: a range of support, including medical professionals, midwives, Doulas, and services like Motherhood in France, can help you navigate your pregnancy with confidence, comfort, and care.