30 country guides
Country guides
Maternity leave and pay, antenatal appointments, screening, vaccines and birth registration — for the UK, US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland.
AUThe antenatal appointment schedule in AustraliaThe Australian Pregnancy Care Guidelines advise 10 antenatal visits in a first pregnancy, 7 in…AURegistering a birth in Australia: the 60-day ruleBirths must be registered with your state or territory registry within 60 days, and it is free. The…AUParental Leave Pay in Australia: rates, eligibility and deadlinesParental Leave Pay is $200.94 a day, $1,004.70 a week, for up to 130 days for babies born from 1…AUScreening tests in pregnancy in AustraliaCombined first trimester screening runs 11 to 14 weeks and the morphology scan 18 to 22. See every…AUVaccines in pregnancy in AustraliaWhooping cough at 20 to 32 weeks, flu at any stage and RSV from 28 weeks are free on the National…CAThe prenatal appointment schedule in CanadaCanada has no national prenatal visit schedule. In practice it is every 4 weeks to 28, every 2 to 3…CARegistering a birth in Canada, province by provinceBirth registration in Canada is provincial. Ontario and Quebec give you 30 days. Bundled online…CAEI maternity and parental benefits in CanadaEI maternity is 15 weeks at 55%, up to $729 a week in 2026. Parental benefits split into standard…CAPrenatal screening tests in CanadaOntario funds eFTS from 11 weeks 2 days and second trimester screening to 20 weeks 6 days. See…CAVaccines in pregnancy in CanadaTdap at 27 to 32 weeks in every pregnancy, flu at any stage and COVID-19 because pregnancy is high…GBAntenatal appointment schedule in the UKFirst pregnancy? The NHS offers 10 antenatal appointments plus 2 scans; 7 if you have given birth…GBRegistering a birth in the UKBirths in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must be registered within 42 days, Scotland within…GBChild car seat law in the UK and taking your baby homeUK law needs a car seat until 12 years or 135cm, whichever comes first, and i-Size seats stay…GBMaternity leave and pay in the UKStatutory Maternity Pay is 90% of your wages for 6 weeks, then £194.32 weekly to week 39. See the…GBScreening tests offered in pregnancy in the UKThe NHS offers free screening for HIV, hepatitis B, syphilis, sickle cell, Down's, Edwards' and…GBVaccines in pregnancy in the UKThe NHS offers whooping cough vaccine from 16 weeks, RSV from 28 weeks and flu at any stage.…IEThe antenatal care schedule in IrelandFree maternity care in Ireland under the Maternity and Infant Care Scheme: 6 GP and 6 hospital…IERegistering a birth in IrelandRegister within 3 months and the PPS number and Child Benefit forms arrive automatically.…IEMaternity Benefit in Ireland: rates, PRSI conditions and deadlinesMaternity Benefit is EUR 299 a week for 26 weeks for leave starting on or after 5 January 2026. See…IEScreening tests in pregnancy in IrelandA dating scan before 15 weeks and an anatomy scan at 18 to 22 are free public care. Down syndrome…NZAntenatal care and the Lead Maternity Carer system in New ZealandIn New Zealand you choose one Lead Maternity Carer, usually a midwife, free, for the whole…NZRegistering a birth in New ZealandRegister your baby within 2 months. It is free, done online through BDM, and a standard birth…NZPaid Parental Leave in New Zealand: rates and eligibilityPaid parental leave runs 26 weeks at up to $811.05 a week before tax from 1 July 2026. See the…NZScreening tests in pregnancy in New ZealandSeven free blood tests at your first visit, Down syndrome screening from 9 weeks, and scans capped…USPrenatal appointment schedule in the USMonthly to 28 weeks, twice monthly to 36, then weekly until birth: about 12 to 14 prenatal visits.…USRegistering a birth in the USUS birth registration is state-run, not federal. The hospital files it from your worksheet. See…USCar seat law in the US and taking your baby homeThere is no single US car seat law. NHTSA says rear-facing from birth and back seat to 12;…USMaternity leave and pay in the USThere is no federal paid maternity leave in the US. FMLA gives 12 unpaid weeks to eligible workers.…USScreening tests offered in pregnancy in the USACOG offers screening and diagnostic testing to all pregnant patients. See routine labs, cell-free…USVaccines in pregnancy in the USCDC recommends Tdap at 27 to 36 weeks every pregnancy, flu any time in season, and RSV at 32 to 36…