Family Guide Northwestern Switzerland Pregnancy and Birth . I want to get pregnant! Some children «just happen», others are . Social Freezing carefully planned. Some couples . Finally pregnant desperately long for a baby but can’t get . Unwanted pregnancy? pregnant, others are afraid to take on the . Cantonal counselling centres responsibility for a child. There are . Prenatal care unwanted teenage pregnancies, and there . Antenatal classes is unwanted childlessness. These factors . Where to give birth? influence how parents feel about . Premature birth pregnancy and children. Today, many . Expecting twins or multiple couples try to plan a pregnancy carefully. births But it isn’t always easy. It can take a while . Baby blues and postpartum to get pregnant, even for a young and depression healthy couple. Helpline "Familystart beider Basel" Pregnancy is a precious time in a couple’s . Breastfeeding counselling life. There is a whole new life to prepare . Addresses and links for, and a new family member to welcome. Book recommendations Nowadays, most young people have never experienced the arrival of a child. A hundred years ago, young women learnt about pregnancy and childbirth from their mothers, aunts and older sisters. Today, we need special public health nurses, evening classes and midwives to give advice. While it is important to recognise Page 1 of 12 Family Guide Northwestern Switzerland the challenges, young people shouldn’t frozen and stored. The term “social feel too anxious about becoming parents. freezing” is used when this is performed without any medical indication. With the When the baby is born, what young help of modern cryopreservation methods parents need most is good advice and it is nowadays possible to thaw the eggs support from family and professional for fertilization at any given time carers. But no matter what everybody tells This gives women, who cannot or do not you: learn to trust your own instincts, too! want to fulfill their wish of a child at the present time, the chance to have a child at I want to get pregnant a later date. Oocyte cryopreservation was A woman can get pregnant approximately at first aimed only at young women who between the ages of 15 and 45. However, had cancer and had to have her chances vary within this reproductive chemotherapy, whereas it is now also phase. Biologically speaking, a woman used in other situations. has her «most fertile» years between 25 and 30. The law in Switzerland regarding “social Getting pregnant might take a while; even freezing” is ambiguous. It is generally for a healthy and young couple. It is interpreted as allowing egg freezing recommended to seek medical advice, if without medical indication, e.g. for career there is no pregnancy within a year. reasons. The storage of the frozen eggs is only allowed for a period of five years There is no denying the fact that it is however. harder to get pregnant after the age of 40. Chromosomal deficiencies are more While egg freezing may be a good or even frequent in mature eggs, increasing the necessary option in certain cases, the egg risk of miscarriage or birth defects. If you retrieval process for oocyte want to get pregnant at a more mature cryopreservation is not without its dangers. age, talk to your gynaecologist. It should be noted furthermore, that there are also higher health dangers associated Difficulties in conceiving are not that with a mature-age pregnancy. While there uncommon. About one in six couples have not been many studies on the risks remain childless due to a fertility disorder of pregnancies in women who are over 55 in one of the partners. Check your fertility years of age, health care professionals do with your doctor or in a special clinic. It believe the health risks to be serious. can help to have the support of a psychologist or a counsellor in this difficult Finally pregnant situation. Obviously, a healthy and stress- Are you pregnant? Congratulations! You free lifestyle will also have a positive effect are in for a wonderful adventure. Your on your fertility. body and soul are about to change, and life with your partner will never be the We also recommend the sections “foster same again. A pregnancy raises many family” and “adoptive family” in the questions. Your gynaecologist or midwife chapter “diversity of families” for further has the answers to all the medical issues reading. concerning you. If you are already thinking about where to give birth, attend the Social Freezing information events organised by hospitals, Human oocyte cryopreservation (egg where you can even visit the delivery freezing) is a process in which a woman’s rooms. The internet offers a ton of unfertilized eggs (oocytes) are extracted, websites dedicated to parents-to be. You Page 2 of 12 Family Guide Northwestern Switzerland can find a selection of websites at the end Which costs are covered by your health of this chapter. insurance? The mandatory basic health insurance will Unwanted pregnancy? fully cover the routine checks during Are you unsure about continuing or pregnancy and the cost of giving birth. terminating the pregnancy? Such a There is no co-pay («Selbstbehalt») for decision is never taken lightly. In these services. Your insurance will also Switzerland, abortion is legal up to week pay a contribution to an antenatal class. It 12 after your last period. If you are is up to you to choose the place where you uncertain, there are several medical want to give birth: at a hospital, a birthing helplines and other psychological home or at home. After giving birth, your counselling services to help you come to a insurance will cover postnatal care and decision. Young women under 16 must contribute to breastfeeding counselling. If see a counsellor or talk to someone at the you stay at the hospital after the birth, the «Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrischer baby’s stay is also covered by your Dienst» (Child and Youth Psychiatry insurance. You will find all the mandatory Service). services in the Federal Health-Care Benefits Ordinance. The Federal Office of Cantonal counselling centers Public Health or your personal health Apart from many medical questions, you insurance will provide further information. may also have questions concerning your relationship, sexuality, money, Antenatal classes employment law or maternity benefits. The birth of a child is a unique and unforgettable experience for every mother Contact your cantonal counselling centre and father. Many couples want to be well for confidential and free advice on these prepared and start thinking about it quite issues. You’ll find the addresses at the early. In antenatal classes, pregnant end of this chapter. women get ready for the big moment physically and psychologically. These Prenatal care classes are also a good way to meet other Most babies are born healthy. Still, it is prospective parents. wise to have the baby’s weight and position as well as the mother’s blood Where to give birth? pressure checked regularly during the In Switzerland, about 98% of all babies are pregnancy. Ultrasound scans are also part born in hospitals, which provide the of the regular check-ups. Apart from these necessary medical equipment in case of routine checks, there are a number of an emergency. The remaining 2% are other tests that are part of the prenatal born at midwives’ homes, birthing homes diagnostics. Some of these tests may be or at home. Talk to your gynaecologist or useful, but please be aware that there are your midwife and find out which place suits very few ways to influence the child’s you best. You should start to think about development before it is born. Parents where to give birth around the middle of should consider very carefully which tests the second trimester. Many hospitals could be helpful for them, and what could organise free information events, where be done for the unborn child if a defect is you can visit the delivery room and meet diagnosed. Prenatal diagnostics can the staff. You don’t need to sign up for cause a couple to consider terminating a these information events, just check the pregnancy which they had fully supported dates with each hospital directly. up to this point. Page 3 of 12 Family Guide Northwestern Switzerland Should you prefer a hospital or clinic A special magazine called «Multipack» outside your canton of residence, make offers useful and scientific articles for sure you check with your health parents of twins and multiple births. In insurance to see whether or not the cost many cantons, there are clubs for parents is covered. of twins or multiple births. It is best to register your child for the mandatory basic and supplementary Baby Blues and postnatal depression health insurance before the baby is born. During pregnancy, the hormones in a woman’s body, such as progesterone and Home Births oestrogen, run wild. After giving birth, and Home births are quite rare in Switzerland. after the placenta has been removed, the According to the Swiss midwives hormones drop back to normal within a association only about 1 percent of all few days. These rapid hormonal changes births in Switzerland occur at home. are the main culprits causing “baby blues” Various studies have shown that a after delivery. During the first few days planned home birth can be as safe as a after giving birth, crying fits are quite hospital birth as long you are healthy and frequent – but nothing to worry about. have had no complications during your pregnancy. In the case of a homebirth, 50-70% of all mothers get the «baby you give birth to your child at home, with a blues» during the first three to five days midwife attending.