Maternity Guidelines
The maternity guidelines are a basic document that the G-BA issues as the " Joint Federal Committee on Medical Care During Pregnancy and After Childbirth ".
The guidelines regulate the medical care of the insured during pregnancy and after delivery , in particular the scope and time of the benefits, the cooperation with midwives and the documentation in the so-called maternity card .
Content of the maternity guidelines
A. Examinations and advice and other measures during pregnancy
B. Detection and special monitoring of high-risk pregnancies and high-risk births
C. Serological tests and measures during pregnancy
D. Blood group serological tests after birth or miscarriage and anti-D-immunoglobulin prophylaxis
E. Requirements for Carrying out serological examinations
F. Examinations and advice for the woman who has recently given birth
G. Medicinal measures and prescription of bandages and medicinal products
H. Records and certificates
Attachments of Maternity Guidelines
- Ultrasound examinations
- Indications for cardiotocography / CTG
- Mother pass
- Leaflet: HIV test for pregnant women
- Leaflet: Ultrasound screening during pregnancy
- Leaflet: Test for gestational diabetes
Debate about serological tests
In January 2019, plans by the Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn became known who, by means of a new Appointment Service and Supply Act, would like to authorize the ministry in future to decide, without the participation of the G-BA, which examination and treatment methods must be covered by the health insurance companies.
A public debate arose in particular with regard to the assumption of costs for a new blood test that came on the market in 2012, which, according to scientific studies, should be entirely without risk for mother and child. This enables sex to be determined and should provide more than 99 percent reliable information about three chromosomal changes in the unborn child. The focus is on trisomy 21 , Down's syndrome, with individually very different characteristics. This is the most common cause of what is known as a risk pregnancy, especially for first-time mothers (from 35 years of age) or late births (over 40 years of age) .
In the case of the amniotic fluid test , which has previously been used as a health insurance benefit, there is an increased risk of miscarriage for the unborn child . This is why early amniocentesis is only carried out in particularly urgent cases or at the special request of the pregnant woman or the parents.
The high number of high-risk pregnancies can be explained, among other things, by the fact that many couples nowadays plan to have children quite late.
Individual evidence
- ^ Federal Joint Committee, accessed on April 9, 2019
- ↑ Maternity Guidelines (Version of December 10, 1985, last amended on April 21, 2016) , accessed on April 9, 2019
- ^ ZEIT ONLINE: Jens Spahn: The Ministry of Health should be able to decide on cash benefits . In: The time . January 11, 2019, ISSN 0044-2070 ( zeit.de [accessed January 15, 2019]).
- ↑ taz: "A droplet of blood - test for Down's syndrome in pregnant women", accessed on April 9, 2019
- ↑ Amniotic fluid examinations: residual risk remains