Public health insurance (GKV) covers the prenatal checkups set out in the German maternity guidelines, which are issued by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) rather than by an insurance plan. Our Private health insurance (PKV) Standard, Plus, and Premium plans cover a broader set of preventive prenatal screenings on top of that program, including comprehensive infection screening, non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), triple and quadruple tests, genetic diagnostics, and enhanced monitoring. Our Private health insurance (PKV) Short-term plan covers the same prenatal checkups as Public health insurance (GKV) and does not include those expanded screenings. NIPT is reimbursed up to €495 if it is medically necessary and recommended, and preventive prenatal examinations do not count toward the deductible or reduce the premium refund on the Standard, Plus, and Premium plans.
Which prenatal checkups does Public health insurance cover in Germany?
Public health insurance (GKV) covers the prenatal checkups set out in the German maternity guidelines (Mutterschaftsrichtlinien), which are issued by the Federal Joint Committee (Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss, or G-BA). The covered program includes an initial pregnancy check with a physical exam and blood and urine tests, routine monitoring of blood pressure, urine, and weight at each appointment, 3 routine ultrasound exams, and a gestational diabetes screening in weeks 24–28. Further examinations, including ultrasound exams beyond the 3 routine ones, are also covered when they are medically necessary and recommended by your doctor.
The full schedule of examinations is published on frauenaerzte-im-netz.de, in German. The schedule is set by the G-BA rather than by your policy, so it can change independently of your plan.
For pregnancy coverage beyond prenatal checkups, including the birth itself, midwife support, and hospital accommodation, see our article on pregnancy coverage under Public health insurance (GKV) and Private health insurance (PKV).
Which additional prenatal screenings do our Private health insurance Standard, Plus, and Premium plans cover?
Coverage limits and included services vary by plan. Always refer to the terms and conditions of your specific policy, which you can find in your Feather account.
Our Private health insurance (PKV) Standard, Plus, and Premium plans cover a broader set of preventive prenatal screenings in addition to everything Public health insurance (GKV) covers. The additional screenings and diagnostics are:
Comprehensive infection screening for toxoplasma, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, rubella, varicella, and parvovirus B19.
Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT).
Triple and quadruple tests, which measure hormone and protein levels (AFP, β-hCG, estriol, and inhibin A) to assess the risk of genetic conditions such as Down syndrome.
Genetic diagnostics, including first-trimester screening with a nuchal translucency ultrasound and blood tests for β-hCG and PAPP-A, plus chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and genetic counseling when these are medically necessary and recommended.
Enhanced monitoring, including Doppler and duplex sonography, sonography following a procedure such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS), and tokography for fetal monitoring.
Which Private health insurance plans include the expanded prenatal screenings?
The expanded prenatal screenings and diagnostics apply to our Private health insurance (PKV) Standard, Plus, and Premium plans. Whether a specific policy includes them can also depend on when that policy was purchased, because the benefits on these plans have changed over time.
Does our Private health insurance Short-term plan include the expanded prenatal screenings?
Our Private health insurance (PKV) Short-term plan covers the same prenatal checkups as Public health insurance (GKV). The Private health insurance (PKV) Short-term plan does not include the expanded prenatal screenings and diagnostics that the Standard, Plus, and Premium plans add.
How much does NIPT cost, and how much does Private health insurance reimburse?
Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) typically costs between €430 and €995 in Germany. Under our Private health insurance (PKV) Standard, Plus, and Premium plans, NIPT is reimbursed up to €495 if it is medically necessary and recommended. If the test costs more than €495, you pay the remaining amount yourself.
Do preventive prenatal examinations affect my deductible or premium refund?
Preventive prenatal examinations are fully reimbursed under our Private health insurance (PKV) Standard, Plus, and Premium plans, and they do not count toward your deductible or reduce your premium refund. This applies when the examinations are billed using the specific service digits listed in the preventive examinations document for these plans.