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How much does midwifery care cost in the Netherlands
Being pregnant comes with costs — and having a baby even more so! Fortunately, midwifery care in the Netherlands is covered by the basic health insurance package. This means that the medical care you need before, during, and after birth is reimbursed. This includes your appointments with us as midwives, the costs of a gynaecologist (if needed), a hospital stay for medical reasons, and postnatal care. Good to know: these costs do not count towards your deductible (eigen risico).
🤰🏼 Everyone who is pregnant is welcome — insured or not! Don’t have Dutch health insurance yet? No problem. Let us know at your first appointment, and we’ll look together at what options are available.
What is covered by your deductible?
While basic midwifery care is reimbursed, there are some costs that do count towards your deductible. These include:
- Blood tests
- Medication
- Ambulance transport (which can cost up to €700)
Ambulance costs in particular can be quite expensive. While it doesn’t happen often, the chance of needing an ambulance during pregnancy is slightly higher than usual.
Personal contribution: what costs do you pay yourself?
In addition to the deductible, there are some care costs that require a personal contribution (eigen bijdrage). This means you pay part of the costs yourself, on top of what your health insurer reimburses. For example:
- Giving birth in hospital without a medical indication: The insurer reimburses part of the cost (€261 in 2025), but the remaining amount (up to €580.51) you pay yourself.
- Postnatal care (kraamzorg): You pay a legal personal contribution of €4.80 per hour. The rest is covered by your insurer.
Supplementary insurance: is it worth it?
Not all costs related to pregnancy are covered by basic insurance. A supplementary insurance plan can help. This often includes reimbursements for:
- Pregnancy or childbirth courses
- A maternity (kraam) package
- Lactation consultant services
- Physiotherapy
- A non-medical (elective) hospital birth
Because insurers update their policy terms every year, it’s wise to review your (supplementary) insurance carefully.
TIP:
- Check with your insurer which costs are covered and whether a medical indication is required.
- Have you voluntarily increased your deductible? It might be smart to lower it while you’re pregnant, as this could save money. You can do this between 12 November and 31 January.
- For more information about maternity and midwifery care coverage, visit zorginstituutnederland.nl.
Frequently asked questions
💡 At a glance
- 🩺 Midwifery care is fully covered by basic health insurance — no deductible applies.
- 💉 Some costs, like blood tests or ambulance transport, do count towards your deductible.
- 🏥 For a hospital birth without medical indication, you pay a personal contribution.
- 🤱 Supplementary insurance can help cover extras like a lactation consultant or birth preparation course.
Have questions about coverage or costs? Just ask us — we’ll gladly help you sort it out.