Having a baby in Germany - where to start? - Berlin forum

Having a baby in Germany - where to start?

1POSTS

6 years ago

Hello. I'm on Family Reunion permit with my husband. He has a Blue Card and we both live in Berlin together for less than a year. We both have TK insurance - public compulsory health insurance.

We decided to have a baby in Germany but no luck so far. We decided to go to a doctor. Should we go to a Frauenarztpraxis or Praxis f眉r Fertilit盲t? We're not sure where to start and how is the process.

How about the insurance? If you go to a doctor/clinic who only covers private insurance, then with out public TK insurance, they will not accept us or they will accept but charge for it?

Thanks.

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TominStuttgart Germany Expert

2807POSTS

6 years ago

In Germany one always has to go first to their general practitioner (Hausarzt) first, so if you don鈥檛 have one then you should get one. They then give you a transfer document聽 (脺berweisung) for you to see the appropriate specialist. There are some doctors or clinics that only take private patients, but not many. Thus simple go to one that takes public insured people. Your general practitioner should be able to suggest where to go and sometimes assist in getting an appointment. Be aware that except in very urgent cases, it usually takes a month or two to see most specialists.

beppi Germany/Singapore Expert

15644POSTS

6 years ago

German health insurances cover all medically necessary treatment.
Fertility and the wish to have a baby are not neccessarily among those, so be prepared to pay some or all of the cost from your own pocket

TominStuttgart Germany Expert

2807POSTS

6 years ago

beppi wrote:
German health insurances cover all medically necessary treatment.
Fertility and the wish to have a baby are not neccessarily among those, so be prepared to pay some or all of the cost from your own pocket

I would assume though that getting a diagnosis of possible causes of fertility problems would be covered by insurance. Maybe there is something wrong that an operation would solve. This would probably also be included. But special hormone treatments to get pregnant or artificial methods like fertilized eggs being implanted would be an optional thing that one likely might have to pay part of. Again, the experts can say best. It doesn鈥檛 help much to speculate without a proper diagnosis. And one is sometimes surprised what insurance pays. Not long ago there was the question of penile implants which I was surprised to find out are also covered as having functioning sex organs - and the chance to reproduce are seen as fundamental. But best to ask the doctors instead of people on a forum.

I am including a link to an excellent site (German only) to the whole subject of fertility diagnosis/treatment, it mentions that some regions of Germany including Berlin have a special support to help people have kids. It says that the amount paid by insurance different according to many factors but the government will pay 25% of the remaining private cost.