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Having a Baby in Portugal

Free SNS pregnancy care, public or private birth, parental leave pay, and the child benefit amounts new parents in Portugal can claim.

Having a Baby in Portugal

Last verified: September 2026.

Who this is for

  • You live legally in Portugal and you are pregnant, or your partner is.
  • You want to know what the SNS covers, what private care costs, and what money you can claim.
  • You work in Portugal, employed or self-employed, and need to plan your leave.

Not for you if: the baby is already born and you need the paperwork. Read "Registering a Birth in Portugal" instead.

Updated September 2026. Since 27 February 2026 you must call SNS 24 before going to any public obstetric emergency department in mainland Portugal.

If you live legally in Portugal, the public health service (SNS) covers your pregnancy, the birth, and your baby's first checks for free. You need an SNS user number and, ideally, a family doctor. Private care is optional and usually costs several thousand euros for the birth. If you pay social security contributions, you can take at least 120 days of paid parental leave. Most families can also claim a monthly child benefit, worth up to €190.98 a month in 2026 while the baby is under three.

Getting into the SNS as soon as you know

Public maternity care starts at your local health centre (centro de saúde). To use it you need an SNS user number (número de utente). If you do not have one yet, register at your health centre with your residence document and your NIF. Our guide "Registering with the SNS in Portugal" explains how.

Once you are registered:

  1. Book an appointment with your family doctor (médico de família) or the health centre's nurse as soon as a test is positive.
  2. The health centre confirms the pregnancy and opens your pregnancy record, the Boletim de Saúde da Grávida.
  3. Take this record to every appointment and to the hospital when you give birth. It holds your test results, scans, and blood pressure readings.

If you have no family doctor, ask the health centre for a pregnancy appointment anyway. Pregnant women are a priority group.

What SNS prenatal care includes

Prenatal care on the SNS (vigilância da gravidez) is free and follows a national schedule. For a low-risk pregnancy you can expect:

  • Regular check-ups, about monthly at first and more often near the end, shared between the health centre and a hospital obstetrics unit.
  • Three routine ultrasounds: a first-trimester dating and screening scan, a mid-pregnancy anatomy scan, and a third-trimester growth scan.
  • Blood and urine tests, blood pressure checks, and gestational diabetes screening.
  • First-trimester combined screening for chromosomal conditions.
  • Free vaccines under the national vaccination programme, usually whooping cough (Tdap) and, in season, flu.

If your pregnancy is higher risk, the health centre refers you to a hospital high-risk pregnancy clinic (consulta de gravidez de alto risco). This is still free on the SNS.

Going private, or mixing the two

Some residents choose a private obstetrician for the whole pregnancy and the birth. This is common if an employer provides health insurance. The large private hospital groups sell maternity packages.

What it costs varies a lot. Private prenatal appointments are commonly quoted at €50 to €120 each. A private package for an uncomplicated vaginal birth is often €2,500 to €5,000. A caesarean costs more. Ask each hospital for a written quote that lists what is excluded.

If you have health insurance, check the waiting period (período de carência) for maternity cover. It is often 10 to 12 months from the start of the policy. Many policies also cap what they pay for a birth. Our guide "Choosing Private Health Insurance in Portugal" explains waiting periods.

A common middle route is private check-ups with a public hospital birth. Keep your SNS registration active whatever you choose. It is your free fallback if something changes late in the pregnancy.

Time off and protection at work

If you are an employee, the law protects you during pregnancy. You should tell your employer about the pregnancy in writing. From then on:

  • You can take paid time off for prenatal appointments, without losing pay.
  • The other parent can take time off to go with you to up to three prenatal appointments.
  • Your employer cannot dismiss you during pregnancy or after the birth without prior approval from the equality at work authority (CITE).

If a doctor certifies that the pregnancy carries a clinical risk and you cannot work, you may qualify for a clinical risk benefit (subsídio por risco clínico) from Social Security. Keep every medical certificate.

Choosing where to give birth

A birth in an SNS maternity unit is free. You will usually give birth at the hospital that serves your area. Ask your care team early which hospital that is. Some units close their labour wards on certain days when staff are short, so also ask for a backup hospital.

Before you go to a public obstetric emergency department, call SNS 24 on 808 24 24 24. This has been the rule in all of mainland Portugal since 27 February 2026. The nurse tells you where to go. You do not need to call first if your life may be at risk, or if INEM, your doctor, or a specialist nurse sends you. In a real emergency, call 112.

The SNS website lists which obstetric emergency departments and labour wards are open.

Pack a hospital bag in the last weeks. Include:

  • your Boletim de Saúde da Grávida
  • your residence document or Citizen Card, and your partner's
  • your SNS user number
  • a birth plan (plano de parto), if you have one
  • clothes and essentials for you and the baby

Registering the baby

Every birth in Portugal must be registered within 20 days, even if both parents are foreign. Many hospitals have a registry desk, so you can do it before you go home. The baby also gets an SNS user number at the hospital. Whether your baby is Portuguese at birth depends on your nationality and how long you have lived here legally, under rules that changed on 19 May 2026. Our guide "Registering a Birth in Portugal" covers the registry, names, nationality, and the baby's documents step by step.

Parental leave and what it pays

If you pay social security contributions in Portugal, you can claim the initial parental benefit (subsídio parental inicial). You need six months of contributions, in a row or not. The main options are:

  • 120 days paid at 100% of your reference pay.
  • 150 days paid at 80%.
  • 150 days at 100% if both parents share the leave. Each parent must take 30 days in a row, or two blocks of 15 days, on their own.
  • 180 days at 83% when shared in the same way.
  • 180 days at 90% if each parent takes 60 days in a row, or two blocks of 30 days.

Some periods belong to one parent only:

  • The mother must take 42 days after the birth. She can also start up to 30 days before the birth.
  • The father must take 28 days, paid at 100%. At least seven days in a row must come straight after the birth, and the rest in blocks of at least seven days. He can add seven optional days while the mother is on leave.

The benefit cannot be less than €14.32 a day in 2026. Apply through Segurança Social Direta, under Família, or at a Social Security office. You have six months from the first day you stopped working.

If you do not have enough contributions, you may get the social parental benefit (subsídio social parental) instead. It is means-tested.

Parliament is debating longer leave, including 180 days at full pay. As of September 2026 no change has been passed, and the rules above still apply. Our guide "Child Benefits and Parental Leave in Portugal" covers the leave options in more detail.

Child benefit and the prenatal allowance

Child benefit (abono de família) is a monthly payment from Social Security. It depends on your household income band (escalão). You need legal residence in Portugal, and the baby needs a NISS.

The 2026 amounts per month, while the child is 36 months old or younger, are:

  • Band 1: €190.98
  • Band 2: €161.65
  • Band 3: €132.07
  • Band 4: €88.43

From 36 to 72 months, the amounts drop to between €44.77 and €75.13. Single parents and larger families get extra.

You can also claim the prenatal allowance (abono de família pré-natal) from the 13th week of pregnancy. It pays the same monthly amounts as above, by income band.

To apply:

  1. Get a medical certificate stating the pregnancy and the expected due date, for the prenatal allowance.
  2. Apply in Segurança Social Direta, under Família, or at a Social Security office.
  3. After the birth, apply for child benefit once the baby has a NISS.

Apply as soon as you can after each event. Late claims can lose months of payments.

After the birth: vaccines and check-ups

Your baby gets a child health record, the Boletim de Saúde Infantil e Juvenil. The free national vaccination programme starts at birth with hepatitis B. Babies at higher risk of tuberculosis also get BCG.

In the first days, the hospital or health centre does the heel prick test (teste do pezinho). It screens for treatable metabolic conditions.

Your health centre then schedules routine child health check-ups (consultas de saúde infantil). Ask for your baby to be registered with your family doctor. Our guide "Getting Vaccinated in Portugal" lists the full vaccine schedule.

If you have private health insurance, add the baby to your policy early. Many insurers set a short window after the birth for adding a newborn without a waiting period.

Sources

Last verified September 2026. Rules and fees change; check the official source before acting.

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