Pregnancy and Childbirth in Slovakia: Doctors, Insurance and Payments

Being pregnant in a foreign country is a stress of its own: it is not clear who to go to, what you are entitled to, or what you will have to pay for. Here is how antenatal care works in Slovakia, what payments exist and — honestly — which of them are actually within reach for whom.

Where to start: your doctor and antenatal care

In Slovakia, pregnancy is managed by a gynaecologist you register with. They issue referrals, keep your records and determine where you will give birth.

One key point that many people learn too late: from the fourth month of pregnancy until the birth you must attend preventive check-ups with your gynaecologist at least once a month. This is not a formality — your entitlement to the childbirth allowance depends on it.

You can find Russian- and Ukrainian-speaking gynaecologists in our directory of specialists — it also lists clinics where appointments are held in Ukrainian.

Who pays: the insurance question

How much is covered depends directly on the type of insurance you have. With public insurance, antenatal care and childbirth are covered. With commercial insurance, pregnancy is often excluded or subject to limits — you need to read this in the contract before you become pregnant; afterwards it is too late.

Who falls under which type of insurance is covered in detail in the article on health insurance in Slovakia.

Childbirth allowance: 829.86 euros

Príspevok pri narodení dieťaťa in 2026 comes to 829.86 euros for the first through fourth child. For a fifth and any subsequent child it is 151.37 euros. In a multiple pregnancy the amount rises by 75.69 euros for each additional child.

You do not need to apply — the payment is awarded automatically.

But there are conditions, and we should be straight about them:

• the mother must have permanent residence (trvalý pobyt) and actually live in Slovakia;
• preventive check-ups with a gynaecologist at least once a month from the fourth month of pregnancy until the birth;
• a contract signed with a paediatrician for the newborn.

What this means in practice. The permanent residence requirement is a serious barrier. Most people with odídenec status have tolerated stay rather than trvalý pobyt, and so do not meet this condition. Do not count on this payment until you have checked your own particular status with ÚPSVaR.

Tehotenský príspevok — the pregnancy allowance

This is a separate payment from the Social Insurance Agency (Sociálna poisťovňa), intended to cover the costs associated with pregnancy and preparing to care for a child.

It is paid from the 13th week of pregnancy to women who have sickness insurance (nemocenské poistenie) — that is, who work under an employment contract or pay contributions as self-employed people.

If you do not work and do not pay contributions, you have no entitlement to this payment. These are different systems: health insurance and social insurance are not the same thing.

What is getting easier: the electronic pregnancy record

An electronic pregnancy record is being introduced: your doctor enters the data into the system themselves, and the mother-to-be does not have to submit paper applications for pregnancy and maternity payments. This cuts the paperwork noticeably — but check with your own doctor whether the system is already working in your case.

A practical checklist

1. Check your insurance. Public or commercial, and what it covers for pregnancy and childbirth.
2. Find a gynaecologist and register with them as early as you can.
3. Do not miss the monthly check-ups from the fourth month — this is a condition of the allowance.
4. Choose a maternity hospital in advance and check whether you need to register beforehand.
5. Sign a contract with a paediatrician before the birth — this is also a condition of the allowance, and simply sensible.
6. Check your status with ÚPSVaR — which payments apply to you specifically.
7. Sort out the child’s documents after the birth: birth certificate, residence registration, health insurance.

On insurance for the child: children under 18 who have at least one legal guardian with public insurance in Slovakia are also entitled to public insurance.

Where to ask for free

For questions about payments and status — ÚPSVaR and Sociálna poisťovňa. Free advice in Russian and Ukrainian is given by the IOM Migration Information Centre: 0850 211 478, Telegram and Signal +421 908 767 853.

A list of organisations that help free of charge is in our directory.

This information has been compiled from public sources and is current as of August 2026. Amounts and payment conditions change, and the decision in any individual case is made by ÚPSVaR or Sociálna poisťovňa. Check the current conditions before making plans and consult a specialist in the field.