PREGNANCY CONFIRMATION 妊娠の診断

Some Japanese doctor offices will give you a "notice of pregnancy" certificate to present to your municipal office once they confirm that you are pregnant. If you received one of these, you will take it with you to the ward office when you go to register your pregnancy. If you did not receive one, it's okay! I just took my HCG report, but they didn't ask for it.



MUNICIPAL OFFICE 市役所

Once it has been confirmed by a doctor that you are pregnant, you must go to the municipal office you are registered at and register your pregnancy. Please visit the Child and Family Support Division (こども家庭支援課). Please bring your notification of pregnancy and MY NUMBER card.  If you do not have either of those, please visit this website to see other acceptable forms of identification.

If you are going to the municipal office in person, please block at least 2 hours out of your schedule. Due to the Corona Virus, however, some offices are allowing you to complete the process through mail. Please check in advance. If your ward office does not have an English speaker, I would also suggest you either speak really good Japanese, hire a translator, or bring someone who can speak Japanese.

During your initial visit, you will fill out two forms. In addition to filling our forms, you will receive three very important items, in addition to tons of informational leaflets and brochures.

After you are given explanation of the information, you will then talk to a nurse or midwife.

FORMS


 Pregnancy Notification Form (妊 娠 届 出 書 )

• Link to English translations

Those who've been issued a Pregnancy Notification Form (妊娠届出書を出された方へ)

• Link to English translation

MOTHER AND CHILD HANDBOOK 母子健康手帳

One of the most important items you will receive is the Mother and Child handbook. This is a book that will be an important record of the health status of the mother and child. Doctors will write notes and records in it, such as the progress of the pregnancy and the development of the child after birth. Please keep it in a safe place because you will use this for the first 15 years of their life!


You will probably be offered the Japanese version of the book initially, but some ward offices offer the handbook in various languages, such as English, Korean, and Spanish. Ask for it, if you need it! At some offices, the non-Japanese version will cost extra, but for me, it was free.



GOVERNMENT MEDICAL VOUCHERS 妊婦検診補助券

Due to pregnancy not being covered under health insurance, the government offers subsidies for pregnant women (regardless of income). One such subsidy is a book with 14 medical examination coupons that can be used before giving birth. The book also includes one free prenatal dental exam and one free  cervical cancer screening.

The book has coupons of various denominations (4700yen, 12000yen, etc.) inside and you should present the book at every appointment. You can only use one voucher at a time, but there are no rules as to the order in which you can use them.

If you are confused, the receptionist will know what to do. But basically, all you need to do is fill out the coupon (name, address, phone number, etc.) and she/he will do the rest!


Please be careful with this book. Coupons cannot be reissued, nor can they be used out of the city that issued them. If you happen to move out of the city during your pregnancy, you will have to get an entirely new set of vouchers and go through the registration process all over again in the new city.

You also cannot use the vouchers at clinics and medical institutions that are not contracted with Yokohama city. Therefore, please inquire ahead of time!

If you forget to bring your voucher booklet to an appointment, you can still apply for the subsidy through mail up to a year after your last appointment or delivery. Please visit your city's official website for instructions on what to do.


BABY ON-BOARD BADGE マタニティマーク

Another important item is the baby onboard badge. This badge will hopefully alert people as to your precious cargo, and perhaps they will offer you a seat on a crowded train!　The mark is good in case you happen to be having a medical emergency out in public as well (especially if you are unconscious or can't explain in Japanese what is happening! So, please also bring your mother and child handbook with you at all times. Therefore, people around you can contact the hospital or your emergency contact.

 If you did not receive a badge from the municipal office, you can often get one at the train station.

MATERNITY INFORMATION

In addition to those items, you will receive tons of leaflets about child care and various programs offered by the city. They will also tell you information on parent and child classes. The ward office I am registered to offer 4 classes that you need to RSVP for. Unfortunately, ours were canceled due to the Corona Virus.


ULTRASOUND

After the confirmation of my pregnancy, I received my first ultrasound at around week 7 or 8. This is important because the doctor needs to confirm whether it is a viable pregnancy before they refer you to a hospital. At your first ultrasound, the doctor will rule out miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and more abnormalities. If everything is okay, the doctor will usually provide you with ultrasound pictures.


DELIVERY HOSPITAL

Immediately after confirming that the pregnancy was viable through an ultrasound, the doctor asked me which hospital I wanted to give birth at. Spaces are very limited in Japan, so it is important to reserve your spot as soon as you can!

Therefore, my recommendation is to do research as soon as you get a positive pregnancy test. Research hospitals that are convenient location wise, but also look for hospitals that cater to your needs (English speaking, religious, offers epidurals, etc.).

Once you have chosen a hospital, the doctor will write you a referral letter and schedule you an appointment. At the end of this appointment, you can continue to do your prenatal appointments at the clinic (if they have the capability) or begin your prenatal appointments at the hospital or other midwifery or clinic of your choosing.

REFERRAL LETTER 紹介状

Most big hospitals require a referral letter, so make sure you obtain one and do not lose it! Please present it at the hospital during your first visit!


Now you are officially on your way to motherhood! Please stay tuned for part three where I begin discussing my hospital appointments and other findings and discoveries during this journey!!