Pregnancy
Pregnant women who hold health insurance have a right to special medical treatment and social support, including regular medical check-ups, medical care, help from midwives, supplies of drugs, the right to give birth in hospital and maternity allowance.
Advice can be sought from doctors and at special offices for pregnant women called "Schwangerschaftsberatungsstellen", which are provided, for example, by the "Arbeiterwohlfahrt" ("AWO"), the "Caritas", the "Diakonisches Werk", the "Deutsches Rotes Kreuz", the "Deutsche Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband" ("DPWV"), "Pro Familia" and health offices.
Abortion ("Schwangerschaftsabbruch" or "Abtreibung") is permitted in Germany but only under certain conditions. 1.) For medical reasons at any stage during pregnancy, 2.) Cases with a criminal background (for instance if a woman was raped) until the 12th week. 3.) For personal / social reasons until the 12th week. This can only happen if the pregnant woman requests an abortion and obtains a certificate from a recognised pregnancy and abortion advice centre (the advice centre is called "Schwangerschafts-Konflikt-Beratung" or "Pregnancy Conflict Advice"). Nobody can force a woman to have an abortion. This is illegal. Information can be obtained at advice centres or from your doctor or from "Pro Familia", the "Arbeiterwohlfahrt", "Donum Vitae" or the "Diakonisches Werk". The addresses of all these offices are listed in the telephone directory or in your local newspapers under "Beratungstellen".
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