Pregnancy in France: what is free, what expires

The tests the public system covers, the windows that do not come back, and the deadlines that cost money if you miss them. With the official source under each one.

essentials — France

The deadlines we have verified, and what this country does differently. Not the full picture.

We are not a local edition: we say that a thing exists and that it has a date, in the words you will need at the counter — then we send you to the body that decides.

What is different in France

First ultrasound (dating scan) — Between weeks 11 and 13
Anomaly (anatomy) scan — Around week 22 (écho morphologique)
Glucose curve (75 g OGTT) — Between weeks 24 and 28, only with risk factors
Growth ultrasound — Around week 32 (écho de croissance)
GBS vaginal-rectal swab — Between weeks 34 and 38

The deadlines that cost money

partly checkedCannot be recoveredReminder: 30 days after the birth

The new supplementary birth leave (2026)

In force since 1 July 2026, and still barely known: one or two months for each parent, paid as a percentage of salary. It must start within nine months of the birth and be requested from the employer a month ahead. It is the most valuable thing in France, and it is new: don't trust guides written before July.

What we have not checked: We have not checked where the request is actually filed, or which form it takes. The measure only came into force on 1 July 2026, so it is also worth asking your employer whether their own procedure is in place yet.

Source: service-public.fr · re-read Aug 28, 2026

What we do not know yet

These things exist here, and we have not read the rules at the source — so we are not going to write them. What we can give you is the two halves that are useful anyway: the name to say, and the body that answers.

we don't know yet
déclaration de grossesse

Telling the two bodies that pay, so that everything else can start.

Who to ask: The CAF and the Assurance Maladie — usually your midwife or doctor sends it.
Go to the body →
we don't know yet
congé de maternité

The maternity leave itself, and the pay that comes with it.

Who to ask: The Assurance Maladie, and your employer.
Go to the body →
we don't know yet
prime à la naissance

A one-off payment around the birth.

Who to ask: The CAF.
Go to the body →
we don't know yet
déclaration de naissance

Registering the birth at the town hall.

Who to ask: The mairie of the town where the baby was born.

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Pregnancy in France: what is free, what expires

What is different in France

The deadlines that cost money

The new supplementary birth leave (2026)

What we do not know yet

The tests, trimester by trimester