Pregnancy care in Poland on NFZ: prenatal tests, midwife, 2026
Short answer: NFZ-insured women get a midwife and the free Prenatal Testing Programme (referral needed, ultrasounds in weeks 11-14 and 18-22+6). A new perinatal care standard took effect on 7 May 2026.
If you are pregnant in Poland and insured with the National Health Fund (NFZ), most of your care is covered. That includes the midwife, the doctor who leads the pregnancy, free prenatal screening and the birth itself. This guide summarises what the Ministry of Health and NFZ publish as of 15 October 2026, including a new organisational standard for perinatal care that took effect on 7 May 2026. Rules and local offers vary, so confirm details with your clinic.
Your rights while pregnant
According to NFZ's patient academy, pregnant women are entitled to use healthcare services and pharmacy services out of turn. You also get free medicines marked "C" on the reimbursement list.
During pregnancy and the postpartum period (up to six weeks after birth) NFZ lists these entitlements:
- outpatient specialist care and hospital treatment
- care from a primary-care midwife, who can see you in pregnancy and visit after the birth
- lactation counselling
- psychological support
- the prenatal testing programme
Insurance matters. NFZ states that midwife visits are available to any woman insured with NFZ. If you are not yet covered, see our guide to health insurance for foreigners first.
Free prenatal screening
Since June 2024 every pregnant woman, regardless of age, can use the NFZ-funded Prenatal Testing Programme (Program Badań Prenatalnych). The Patient Ombudsman page on gov.pl and NFZ describe two kinds of tests:
- Non-invasive tests: ultrasound and blood biochemical tests. These are the basis of screening.
- Invasive tests: amniocentesis, chorionic villus biopsy or cordocentesis. They are used only to confirm an unclear or abnormal result.
The non-invasive stages are:
- counselling and biochemical tests between weeks 11 and 14
- a foetal ultrasound for congenital defects between weeks 11 and 14, and again between weeks 18 and 22 plus 6 days
You need a referral (skierowanie) from the doctor leading your pregnancy for these stages, and it must state the week of pregnancy. For the genetic stages you need a referral from your doctor or from the ultrasound stage, stating the indications. Genetic testing requires at least one criterion, such as an abnormal ultrasound or biochemical result, a previous pregnancy with a chromosomal abnormality, or a significantly higher risk of a genetic disease.
Take the referral, earlier test results and an identity document to the clinic that runs the programme. NFZ reports that in 2024 more than 160,000 patients used the programme.
Comprehensive care programme (KOC)
NFZ also runs a programme of comprehensive care for mother and child in pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period, called KOC. You can join at any stage of pregnancy. At centres that take part, NFZ says you get coordinated care during pregnancy, birth and postpartum, care for your baby for the first six weeks of life, and practical and theoretical preparation for birth. Ask your doctor or the hospital where you plan to give birth whether it takes part.
What changed in 2026
The Ministry of Health says a new organisational standard for perinatal care took effect on 7 May 2026 (regulation of 23 October 2025, Dz.U. 2025 item 1525). It applies to all medical entities providing perinatal care. According to the ministry, it should provide, among other things:
- antenatal education from the moment pregnancy is confirmed, for the woman and the father or another close person
- more midwife independence in managing physiological pregnancies with no risk factors
- access to at least one pharmacological method of pain relief in labour at every hospital, with hospitals publishing the methods they offer on their websites
- attention to the birth plan, the chance to get to know the chosen place of birth in advance, and an anaesthetist consultation if you want regional analgesia
- the option to eat and drink during labour after consulting the person caring for you
- support for breastfeeding and midwife visits at home
- reminders about recommended vaccines in pregnancy: influenza, whooping cough and protection against RSV
- a duty on staff to start the "Blue Card" procedure if they suspect domestic violence
Practical steps
1. Register with a gynaecologist-obstetrician who has a contract with NFZ, or with a primary-care midwife. 2. Ask for referrals for the prenatal stages in time. The first stage falls between weeks 11 and 14. 3. Check which hospital offers the pain relief methods and conditions you want. The standard says hospitals must publish them. 4. Keep your identity document and insurance details with you when you go to appointments. 5. Read the hospital's birth-plan information and ask your midwife about antenatal classes.
Registering the birth and your baby's documents comes later. See our guide on registering a baby in Poland.
* Photos: public domain and CC0 images via Wikimedia Commons.
Frequently asked questions
Is prenatal testing free in Poland?
Yes. Since June 2024 the NFZ-funded programme is open to every pregnant woman regardless of age, with a referral from the doctor leading the pregnancy.
Do I need NFZ insurance to see a midwife?
NFZ says any woman insured with NFZ can use a midwife. Without insurance, ask the clinic about private fees or arrange cover first.
When are the free ultrasound scans?
The programme covers an ultrasound between weeks 11 and 14, and another between weeks 18 and 22 plus 6 days.
