Family · Denmark
Family & Parenting
Pregnancy, birth & child health
Pregnancy
Pregnancy & Birth in Denmark
Prenatal care and hospital births are free for all CPR-registered residents. Your GP refers you to a hospital midwife team (jordemoderteam) at 6–8 weeks. Denmark has one of the lowest C-section rates in Europe at 22%. Home births are supported and free.
- Cost of hospital birth
- Free (tax-funded)
- Prenatal scans included
- 2 standard (week 12 + week 20)
- C-section rate
- 22% (among lowest in EU)
- Home birth supported
- Free with assigned midwife team
- First midwife visit
- Week 6–8 of pregnancy
- Visit your GP when you suspect pregnancy for confirmation and referral
- Attend the first midwife consultation at your assigned hospital by week 8
- Complete the nuchal translucency scan at week 12
- Complete the anatomy scan at week 20
- Register the birth at the hospital within 14 days (hospital staff assist)
Official sources
Child Health
Child Health & Vaccinations
Denmark offers free preventive health checks for all children at ages 5 weeks, 5 months, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years through your GP. The childhood vaccination programme covers 11 diseases and is free but not mandatory. 97% of Danish children are vaccinated.
- Vaccination programme diseases
- 11 (including HPV since age 12)
- Vaccination coverage rate
- 97%
- Cost of all child vaccinations
- Free
- First vaccination
- 3 months old (DiTeKiPolHib)
- Child health exams
- 7 free exams ages 0–5 years
- Register your newborn at Borgerservice for CPR within 14 days of birth
- Book the 5-week health check with your GP
- Follow the vaccination schedule starting at 3 months (your GP sends reminders)
- Attend the sundhedsplejerske (health visitor) home visits in the first year
- Complete the school-readiness health check at age 5
Parental Leave
Splitting Leave Between Parents
Since the 2022 reform, each parent has 24 weeks of leave, of which 11 weeks are earmarked and non-transferable. The remaining 13 weeks per parent can be shared. This applies to all employees — self-employed parents have slightly different rules but the same total entitlement.
- Mother's earmarked leave
- 11 weeks (non-transferable)
- Father's earmarked leave
- 11 weeks (non-transferable)
- Shared/transferable weeks per parent
- 13 weeks each
- Total combined leave
- 52 weeks
- Earmarked weeks expire when child turns
- 1 year old
- Coordinate with your partner to decide how to split the 26 shared weeks
- Notify both employers at least 3 months before the expected due date
- Apply for barselsdagpenge on borger.dk within 8 weeks of birth
- Track your earmarked 11 weeks — they expire on the child's first birthday
- Check if your employer offers top-up salary via collective agreement
Official sources
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