Pregnant in the Netherlands: the first five things to do
The first weeks of a pregnancy in the Netherlands come with five things to sort out, and two of them want doing earlier than most people expect: registering with a midwife practice, and arranging maternity care at home (kraamzorg). None of it needs a referral from a doctor, and the standard care costs you nothing. Checked 21 September 2026.
Register with a midwife practice (verloskundige)
In the Netherlands a midwife, not a GP or a hospital, leads normal pregnancy care. Register as soon as you know you are pregnant: you choose the practice yourself and you do not need a referral from a doctor. Checked against deverloskundige.nl on 21 September 2026.
Paperbump schedules this usually between week 5 and week 8 of the pregnancy. What this step involves · deverloskundige.nl
The dating scan (termijnecho)
An ultrasound between about week 10 and week 14 that measures the baby and fixes how far along you are. This is the scan that sets your official due date, and it can move it by a week or more from the date you worked out yourself — which matters, because your maternity leave and every screening appointment are counted from it. Checked against deverloskundige.nl on 21 September 2026.
Paperbump schedules this usually between week 10 and week 14 of the pregnancy. What this step involves · deverloskundige.nl
Decide about the NIPT and the 13-week scan
You are offered screening for chromosomal conditions (the NIPT blood test) and a 13-week scan that looks for physical conditions. Both are a choice, not an obligation. Checked against pns.nl on 20 September 2026.
Paperbump schedules this usually between week 9 and week 14 of the pregnancy. What this step involves · pns.nl
Arrange maternity care at home (kraamzorg)
For the first days after the birth a maternity nurse (kraamverzorgende) comes to your home to look after you and the baby, check on you both, and help with feeding. This is normal in the Netherlands and is covered by basic insurance apart from a small contribution per hour. Checked against rijksoverheid.nl on 21 September 2026.
Paperbump schedules this usually between week 8 and week 12 of the pregnancy. What this step involves · rijksoverheid.nl
Extra scans you pay for yourself (pretecho)
Dutch care gives you three ultrasounds as standard — the dating scan, the 13-week scan and the 20-week scan — which is fewer than many countries offer. Anything beyond them you can book yourself without a referral and pay for, at roughly 40 to 120 euros depending on the scan and the clinic. Checked against deverloskundige.nl on 21 September 2026.
Paperbump schedules this usually between week 7 and week 30 of the pregnancy. What this step involves · deverloskundige.nl
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