Women’s health and pregnancy care

This page is designed for people fleeing from Ukraine to Hungary. If you are seeking asylum from another country, please click here for more information.

ON THIS PAGE YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT
• Prenatal care and giving birth
• Birth registration
• Family support
• Access to abortion

This information was carefully collected by EMMA Association.

Prenatal care and giving birth

Prenatal care is available free of charge to all women who have fled Ukraine, regardless of whether she has temporary protection status (TPS) or if she is a dual Ukrainian-Hungarian citizen. Below we explain the relevant regulations that can be referred to:

For temporary protection status holders: specific order of the EMMI No 9/2022 (III/11), which states that “the temporary protection status holder is entitled to prenatal and obstetric care free of charge)”.
Dual citizens who verifiably arrived in Hungary after 24 February 2022 and have not yet established a permanent address in Hungary are treated the same way as temporary protection status holders. According to the specific order of the EMMI No. 9/2022 (III./11.), they are entitled to the same health care as temporary protection status holders.
Point 3 of Annex 1 states that: “(…) a Hungarian citizen with a permanent residence in Ukraine and having arrived from Ukraine on or after 24 February 2022 is treated the same way as those who have applied for or received temporary protection status, with regards to access health care”.
– Dual citizens who have already established a permanent address in Hungary do not have access to the same benefits as temporary protection status holders. However, they are also entitled to prenatal care free of charge under Act LXXIX of 1992 on the Protection of Fetal Life: “§ 3 (1) Hungarian citizens residing in Hungary are entitled to prenatal care, free of charge.”

Important note: that the validity period of the TPS card is valid until 4 March 2025, regardless of the date indicated on the card, in accordance with § 3 of Government Decree 30/2024 (22.II.).

Prenatal care step by step

The first step of prenatal care is always a gynecological examination, which can be carried out free of charge at the local health center. Unlike the Ukrainian system, in Hungary prebooking is necessary, which means that you have to make an appointment in advance (by phone or in person).

After the first examination, you can visit your local health visitor (visiting nurse) with the record issued by the OB-GYN. To find your local health visitor, you can use the dedicated website of ÁNTSZ, by entering your address.

At the first visit, the health visitor will issue the booklet where all your prenatal care records will be registered (results of screenings and tests, visits to providers, etc.). From now on, this booklet must be taken to all the prenatal check-ups and presented to the health care providers. This booklet is proof that pregnancy was monitored and supervised, and the presence of at least 4 stamps, verifying 4 prenatal visits, is required to receive maternity benefits. (In the case of premature birth, 1 stamp is sufficient).

Pregnancy is divided into 3 trimesters, or 3 times 3 months, and there are certain tests and screenings recommended for each of these trimesters, including

a gynecological examination,
a laboratory test,
an ultrasound in each trimester.

The duration of pregnancy (gestational age) is measured in weeks. The birth can be expected somewhere between 37 and 41 weeks. It is important to know at which week your pregnancy is because some tests need to be done in a specific time window. These include:

the first genetic ultrasound at 11-13 weeks of pregnancy,
the second genetic ultrasound at 18-20 weeks of pregnancy,
An oral glucose tolerance test at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy,
the third genetic ultrasound at 30-32 weeks of pregnancy.

Getting closer to birth, from 36-37 weeks of pregnancy, weekly CTG or NST examinations will be recommended, to monitor uterine contractions and the baby's heartbeat. These tests may become more frequent if the woman goes beyond the due date.

We have found that sometimes health providers do not attend to patients who do not speak Hungarian (or English). Providers can call the telephone interpretation service by dialing 1812. Language should not be a barrier to get care!
If the expectant woman would like to hire an interpreter herself, we recommend the IOM's interpretation service or the telephone interpreting service of the Dévai Community Center. In both cases it is necessary to make an appointment in advance. In both cases the service is free of charge for Ukrainian refugees.

Giving Birth

According to the specific order of the EMMI No. 9/2022 (III./11.), it is clear that temporary protection status holders and the Ukrainian-Hungarian citizens holding a permanent residence in Ukraine are entitled to childbirth care free of charge. However, it is not the same for dual citizens having a permanent residence in Hungary. As far as we know, they are entitled to free childbirth depending on their social security status – i.e. if it is settled, they will receive free care, but if it is not settled, they are likely to be charged for the cost of childbirth. [We are awaiting clarification on this point from legal experts. We will update our information sheets whenever new information becomes available.]

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Birth registration

The procedure of birth registration

To register a newborn child, the registrar needs to know whether the child is born in or out of marriage. If the child is born in a marriage, a certified copy of the marriage certificate must be presented for registration. It is important to know that registrars can only accept the translations made by the Hungarian Office for Translation and Attestation (OFFI). This document can be translated at a reduced price from Ukrainian to Hungarian (5.000,-Ft + VAT).

If the baby is not born in marriage, the mother must provide proof of her family status (“hajadonsági nyilatkozat”). This can be certified by a declaration issued by the Embassy of Ukraine in Hungary. For this declaration you don’t need to book an appointment at the embassy in Budapest. In the case of the Consulate in Nyíregyháza, please call this number: +3642501015. It is important to know that the administration process involves filling in documents in Ukrainian, so confident reading and writing is a prerequisite for the paperwork. The declaration issued by the embassy will be countersigned by the consul, for a fee of about 7.000,-Ft. This amount can be paid only by card in Budapest, and by postal check in Nyíregyháza. The document will be prepared on the spot, but only in Ukrainian, so you will need to obtain a certified Hungarian translation from the OFFI before the birth registration process. The declaration is not one of the documents that can be translated at a reduced rate, the cost of the translation ranges between approx. 16.000-19.000,-Ft.

As this process is time-consuming, and the newborn baby cannot apply for temporary protection status, is not entitled for free medical care or subsidies etc. without the birth certificate, therefore we recommend that you arrange the paperwork before the birth, so that the marriage certificate or family status declaration and their translations are already available by the time you go to the hospital.

For birth registration, the necessary documents are usually collected in the hospital and the birth certificate can be picked up at the local Registry Office (“Anyakönyvi Hivatal”) on the day of discharge or a few days later (The registration of the child will take place at the Registry Office of the district where the newborn was born).

Acknowledgement of paternity

If a newborn baby is not born in marriage, he or she will be given the name of the mother and the father will not appear on the birth certificate. If the parents want the father's name to be registered and the child to be given the father's name, a paternal acknowledgement (“apai elismerő nyilatkozat”) must be made.

Unfortunately, the procedure for this is not uniform, so in all cases we recommend that couples ask their local registrar before the birth what they will need to do. There are some registry offices where the waiting list for registration is so long that it is not possible to make a declaration before the birth. We have also come across cases where the couple is explicitly asked to wait until after the birth to contact the registrar.

Note: if you apply for paternal acknowledgement after obtaining the baby's birth certificate, you can start the procedure at any Birth Certificate Office, not necessarily at the same office where the birth certificate has been issued.

What is certain is that you will need proof of the mother's marital status in Hungarian (certified translation by OFFI) and valid passports of both parents. Some registrars also ask for the birth certificates translated by OFFI, official proof of their Ukrainian address (issued by the Ukrainian Embassy) and the residence permits of both parents. It is also important to note that if one of the parents does not understand or speak Hungarian, they must provide an interpreter. The interpreter can be someone without an interpreter's license, but must speak the foreign language used in the procedure at a level that allows him or her to translate the questions and answers. The interpreter can not be a direct relative of the persons making the statements.

Registration of Ukrainian citizenship

The citizenship of the child of a mother of Ukrainian nationality is entered as “unknown” in the Hungarian-language birth certificate. In order to the child's citizenship to be established, an application for recognition of Ukrainian citizenship must be submitted to the Ukrainian Embassy.

However, two more steps must be completed before the family can submit the application to the embassy:

The first step is to authenticate (legalize) the birth certificate, which means that an apostille certificate is added to the document. The form needed to apply for legalization can be downloaded at the Konzinfo Start webpage (https://konzinfougyseged.mfa.gov.hu by clicking on the menu Online forms/Application for legalisation. Here you need to fill in the required fields and print the application, and then submit it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in person or by post, together with the birth certificate, after transferring the fee of 5.500,-Ft.
The next step is to translate the birth certificate with the added Apostille certificate to Ukrainian in OFFI. This costs about 20.000,- Ft.

Once the family has received the Hungarian birth certificate with Apostille and its Ukrainian translation, they can apply for Ukrainian citizenship. For this procedure you do not need to make an appointment in Budapest (If you need to contact the Consulate in Nyíregyháza, you can call this number: +36 42 501 015). The ability to read and write in Ukrainian is also essential for this type of case. In addition to the above documents, personal documents of the parent(s) will also be required.

You will not receive the certificate of registration of Ukrainian citizenship on the day of the procedure, only 1-2 working days later. We usually recommend that during these few days the parents have an official photo of the child taken (showing the newborn with eyes open, in front of a white background, the head of the baby filling 80% of the photo). At the same time as the citizenship certificate is received, the request can be made to have the newborn included in the passport of the parent/legal guardian and from then on the newborn can leave the country.

The Embassy draws attention to the fact that the document recognising Ukrainian citizenship is issued only once and cannot be replaced.

In our experience, the original birth certificate with the Apostille certificate, translated into Ukrainian, together with the citizenship recognition document is sufficient to register the child upon return to Ukraine.

It should be noted, however, that some registrars believe that the procedure is finished when – after receiving the document recognizing Ukrainian citizenship – they issue a new birth certificate, which states that the newborn is a Ukrainian citizen. This procedure involves the following costs:

translation of the citizenship recognition document into Hungarian – approx. 22.000,-Ft,
the Apostille certificate of the new birth certificate – 5.500,- Ft, then
translation of the birth certificate with the added Apostille certificate into Ukrainian – 20.000,-Ft

Useful links

Family support

In Hungary, the family support system provides financial support for the care, upbringing and education of children, which can also be claimed by refugees from Ukraine under certain conditions.

Refugees with dual Ukrainian-Hungarian citizenship who have Hungarian residence (i.e. permanent address) can apply for financial support under the family support scheme under the conditions set out below. These include Maternity Allowance (anyasági támogatás), Childcare Support Allowance (GYES), Family Allowance (családi pótlék) and Child-raising Support (GYET).

Refugees with Ukrainian nationality and refugees who are dual nationals and have not yet established a permanent address in Hungary and as such, treated the same as refugees with

Ukrainian citizenship, can claim Maternity Allowance, Infant Care Benefit and Childcare Benefit under specific circumstances. (When you have refugee or subsidiary protection status you have the same rights as Hungarian citizens and you are entitled to social benefits and assistance Hungarian citizens in similar situations have. More information on eligible financial support is available on the website of UNHCR )

You can apply for cash child benefit at the following offices:

the Family Support Department of the relevant Government Office (Kormányablak Családtámogatási Osztály), or
the Family Support and Health Insurance Department of the Hungarian State Treasury (Magyar Államkincstár Családtámogatási és Egészségbiztosítási Főosztály)

Maternity allowance

Both refugees with dual and Ukrainian citizenship can apply for Maternity Allowance . The condition is that the woman must have attended prenatal care at least 4 times during her pregnancy, certified by the visiting nurse (védőnő) or obstetrician. The mother, the appointed guardia and the biological father (If the birth mother dies before applying for the allowance.)can also apply. Another condition for receiving the allowance for persons with a Hungarian address card is that the claimant must be living officially in the same household as the child, so the address of the claimant and the child must be the same on the address card. The maternity allowance is payable on application within 6 months of the birth of the child and is a one-off cash grant equal to 225% of the social baseline amount in force at the time of the child's birth (HUF 64,125 in 2023).

Childcare Support allowance (GYES)

The benefit is only available to persons with Hungarian citizenship and residence. GYES is a monthly cash benefit paid on a universal basis until the child reaches the age of 3 (In the case of twin children, until the end of the year in which the child becomes school-age. For children with a long-term illness or severe disability, until the age of 10.). Here too, the mother must participate at prenatal visits at least 4 times during her pregnancy. The allowance can be claimed by the mother, the appointed guardian or the father, if they are living in the same household. The claimant may not pursue paid employment (After the age of six months, the person may pursue paid employment without any time limit)or place the child in day-care before the age of six months. The legal guardian of a child of a minor parent may pursue paid employment without time limitation while receiving child benefit. The amount of the childcare allowance is HUF 28,500 gross per child per month, which is equal to the amount of the social baseline amount (in 2024).

Child-raising support (GYET)

Parents and legal guardians with Hungarian citizenship and Hungarian residence who are raising three or more minors in their own household are entitled to child-raising support (GYET). The support is paid from the age of the youngest child's 3rd birthday until the child's 8th birthday. A person receiving GYET may engage in paid employment for no more than 30 hours a week. The amount of the GYET in 2023 is HUF 28,500 gross per month.

Family allowance – childcare, education support (családi pótlék)

Family allowance is a monthly financial allowance available to parents, guardians or partners living with the parent, having Hungarian nationality and residence, who are raising a minor in their own household, or to the manager of a social institution for a child who is under school age, and to eligible persons specified by law. For children attending school, the family allowance is paid in principle until the end of compulsory education (age 16). After that, the allowance may continue to be paid as long as the child still participates in public education. Schooling allowance is suspended if the child who is obliged to attend kindergarten has missed 20 days in the educational year concerned or if the child who is obliged to attend school has missed 10 days in the educational year concerned without a valid reason. The amount of the family allowance varies depending on the number of children, if the parent is a single parent and the child's long-term illness or disability. In the case of a family with one child, it is HUF 12,200 per month. The amount increases depending on the above-mentioned cases.

Infant care benefit (CSED) and childcare benefit (GYED)

Pursuant to government decree 636/2023. (XII. 23.) , a Ukrainian citizen without residence in Hungary is entitled to infant care benefit and child care benefit if the child is born after 31 December 2023.

Infant care benefit (CSED) is a form of benefit for the duration of maternity leave (168 days). It is paid to a woman who was insured for 365 days in the two years preceding the birth of her child.

Childcare benefit (GYED) is paid from the day after the period of infant care benefit (maternity leave), or after the corresponding period until the child is 2 years old or, in the case of twins, until the children are 3 years old.

Useful links in Hungarian:

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Access to abortion

In Hungary only surgical abortion is available. Medical abortion, which is accessible in Ukraine, is not an option here.

Abortion can be performed until 12 weeks of pregnancy (18 weeks of gestation under the age of 18. There might be other reasons for requesting an abortion after the 12th week of pregnancy, as regulated by the Act LXXIX of 1992 on the Protection of Fetal Life .), in the following cases:

the pregnancy is the result of violence,
if the pregnancy is endangering the health of the mother, or
the foetus is likely to have serious disability or impairment.

These are determined by healthcare providers and abortion care is free of charge.

Pregnancy can be terminated until week 12 of pregnancy also if the woman is in a serious crisis. This does not need to be certified by a healthcare provider or any professional. If a woman considers that having a child would cause a serious crisis in her life, she can decide to terminate her pregnancy herself.

In this case, you will have to attend two counseling sessions at the Family Protection Service and, in some cases, you will have to pay a fee for the abortion.

Cost of abortion care

Abortion care is free of charge for women with a temporary protection status. According to the specific order of the EMMI No. 9/2022 (III./11.)

“Temporary protection status holders are entitled to free prenatal care and obstetric care, and to abortion care in accordance with the conditions listed in the Act on the Protection of Fetal Life, as well as to the counseling provided by the Family Protection Service, and to request the termination of pregnancy”.

Those dual citizens, who have verifiably arrived to Hungary after 24 February 2022 and do not have a permanent residence in Hungary, are considered the same way as temporary protection status holders. According to the specific order of the EMMI No. 9/2022 (III./11.) , they are entitled to abortion care free of charge, just like those with a temporary protection status.

Point 3 of Annex 1 states that:

“(…) a Hungarian citizen with a permanent residence in Ukraine and having arrived from Ukraine on or after 24 February 2022 is treated the same way as those who have applied for or received temporary protection status, with regards to access health care””.

Dual citizens who already have a permanent residence in Hungary, are not considered the same as temporary protection status holders. Abortion care is not free for them – just like for Hungarian citizens. The fee of abortion care is 45.312,-Ft (as of 2024), but in certain cases the amount can be fully or partially reduced, for example in the case of a bad financial situation, which needs to be supported by documents in accordance with Regulation 32/1992. (XII. 23. ), or if the woman lives in a refugee or homeless shelter. The procedure is done only after the fee has been paid.

The process of abortion

The first gynecological exam

The first step is a gynecological exam to confirm the pregnancy. This exam should take place on week 6-8 of pregnancy, because fetal heartbeat can be detected from this time. In 2022 a regulation was passed, according to which doctors must provide women with “a clearly identifiable indication of fetal vital signs”. Nurses of the Family Protection Service can only accept a medical record that includes this information to apply for abortion. So if the exam takes place before week 6 when the doctor can not yet demonstrate fetal vital signs, then the woman must return for another gynecological exam. It is better to avoid that.

Abortion care is a time-sensitive process. Since pre-operative counseling and exams take 2-3 weeks, it is easy to miss the 12 weeks required by law. This is why it is important to manage the time available well. So when someone makes an appointment for the first examination, it should be made clear that it is an emergency, avoiding waiting weeks for the examination. The appointment should be booked at the local clinic.

First visit at the Family Protection Service (Családvédelmi Szolgálat, CsVSz)

Family Protection Services do not have territorial jurisdiction, meaning that any of their offices can be contacted regardless of the place of residence, but it is important to book an appointment with them in any case. The address and telephone number are available online, but you can also ask the doctor at the gynecological exam. It's good to know that Family Protection Service can be called for an appointment on weekdays, within a narrow 30-60 minute time slot. If you book an appointment in person, this interval is wider.

The aim of the first counseling session – pursuant to relevant legislation – is for the woman to keep the pregnancy. To do this, the nurse will inform the woman about subsidies available if she carries the pregnancy to term, or what options are available for adoption. She also provides information on the development of the foetus, the risks of abortion and the impact it may have on the subsequent pregnancy.

The first counseling session will be certified by the Family Protection Service. This must be presented at the next session, which can be at the earliest 3 days after the first counseling session.

Second visit at the Family Protection Service

The second counseling session is about the procedure itself, about when, where and through what method it will take place. Family planning options and available contraception methods are also discussed.

At this counseling session, an application for termination of pregnancy is filled in, the original of which is given to the applicant and a copy is sent by the nurse to the hospital of choice. After the second counseling session, you must visit the hospital within 8 days.

Visit the hospital where the abortion would be performed

At the hospital, the woman will be examined (another gynecological examination, laboratory tests, anesthesiological examination) and a date for the operation will be scheduled. The operation is performed under general anesthesia and on an outpatient basis, i.e. you can go home on the day of the operation.

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It is important to highlight that a woman can change her mind even on the day of surgery! Also, it is possible to get pregnant within two weeks after the operation, so it is advisable to prepare for contraception at the same time as the operation. For women in poor social conditions or in humanitarian crisis, the professional recommendation is to use intrauterine contraceptives (IUDs), which provide long-term protection against unwanted pregnancies.

If the pregnant woman would like to hire an interpreter herself, we recommend the IOM's interpretation service or the telephone interpreting service of the Dévai Community Center. In both cases it is necessary to make an appointment in advance. In both cases the service is free of charge for Ukrainian refugees.

Useful links

This information was carefully collected by EMMA Association.