Pregnancy declaration

If you become pregnant, a declaration should be made to your Cpam within three months so as to allow the state healthcare system to give you the best assistance. 

Once aware of your pregnancy, you should have an initial examination (premier examen prénatal) by your regular GP (médecin traitant), a gynaecologist or sage-femme (midwife). They will ask you questions, carry out checks, advise on what to expect next and usually ask you to have blood tests.

After this first pregnancy check-up a déclaration de grossesse (declaration of pregnancy) has to be made. This can be done by the medical professional online with your carte Vitale, or otherwise they will give you a document in three parts called the premier examen prénatal. You send the pink part to your Cpam and the two blue parts to your Caf (caisse d’allocations familiales – family benefits agency).

As mentioned, it is possible for these declarations to be carried out online by your doctor instead of the system of coloured forms, called déclaration de grossesse en ligne. In this case the information is sent directly to the Cpam and the Caf.

Remember to update your carte Vitale after making a pregnancy declaration in order to obtain the correct rates and benefits. Once it receives the form, the Cpam will send you a personalised calendar of key dates for tests, the period during which you will benefit from 100% medical reimbursements for care related to your pregnancy and dates of any statutory maternity leave.

The following are fully reimbursed for pregnant women:

1. Seven compulsory antenatal medical visits
2. Several kinds of medical checks where applicable throughout the pregnancy
3. Seven antenatal classes
4. Medical costs linked to childbirth
5. Up to 12 days in hospital (or a state-certified clinic)
6. All medical care linked to the pregnancy from the first day of the sixth month of pregnancy 
7. Any fees linked to stays of up to 30 days in hospital for the newborn child
8. The eighth-month scan (two previous scans will be reimbursed at 70%)
9. A post-natal examination and, if prescribed, a perineal examination

Your Cpam will also send you a guide about pregnancy and a card for noting your examinations and consultations. If you have an account at ameli.fr you should also activate the service called Vous attendez un enfant which can be found in the Prévention section. This will allow you to be sent useful information on a month by month basis.

Carnet de santé 

The carnet de santé is a free booklet issued to every child at birth and given to their parents or guardians.

It records the child’s life until adolescence: birth weight, size, tests, illnesses and disease, and provides charts for easy understanding and documentation.

It also provides a practical reference for parents with advice and information on childhood problems.

Any time a child is registered in a crèche, primary school or leisure centre, the family will be asked for their carnet de santé. This will give the staff details of allergies and vaccinations.

Generally doctors and medical professionals will fill in the vital details of major procedures but parents will fill in more day-to-day information independently themselves.

If you have arrived in France with children, you can ask for a carnet de santé from the PMI office (Protection Maternelle et Infantile), a service of your departmental council.