Having a Baby in Portugal

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Having a Baby in Portugal

This page is a guide through the process and administrative details of having a baby in Portugal. The more personal decisions on how and where are, just that, personal.

Prenatal care

In Portugal, prenatal care such as medical examinations and prenatal classes are free and generally available at the hospital the mother has chosen as the birth place. A woman is allowed time off work for pre-natal appointments, as many times as necessary, including the preparation for birth.

She may choose any suitable hospital or maternity unit and is not limited by her own place of residence.

There are a number of organisations that provide free information and advice to mothers-to-be and new mothers.

• Service of Information on Medicine and Pregnancy (Serviço de Informação Sobre Medicamentos e Gravidez)
  Maternidade Bissaya Barreto
  At: Rua Augusta, 3000-061 Coimbra
  Tel: 800 202 844
  e-mail
  Open: 09:00–13:30 and 14:00–18:00
• Help to Mothers (Ajuda de Mãe)
  A charity that supports mothers, runs centres for pregnant women, and organises prenatal classes and mothering courses
  SOS Pregnancy (SOS Grávida) Tel: 213 862 020 or 808 201 139
  Tel: 213 827 850
  Fax: 213 827 859
  Website (in Portuguese)

Giving Birth

Birth usually takes place in a hospital or maternity unit chosen by the mother. Home births are infrequent and alternative methods, such as water births, are not widely available. Natural childbirth (childbirth unaided by pain relief through medicine or by surgical intervention) is experiencing an increase in popularity in Portugal, in cases where the pregnancy has been normal and there are no complications expected at the birth.

The mother is allowed one birth companion (such as the husband, a family member or a trusted friend), as long as there are no complications.

Further information on non-traditional birthing methods can be found on websites of associations such as Doulas de Portugal (a doula is a non-medical assistant in birth) or HumPar, the Portuguese Association for the Humanisation of Childbirth (Associação Portuguesa Pela Humanização do Parto).

• For information from Doulas de Portugal: Click here (in Portuguese)
• For information about HumPar: Click here

Registering the Birth

Any birth happening on Portuguese territory has to be registered within 20 days in the Civil Registry Office (Conservatória do Registo Civil) even if the parents are not of Portuguese nationality.

Parents will need to take ID documents (identity card or, if the parents are non-Portuguese residents, a passport and residency papers). It is also useful, if not absolutely necessary, to take a health document issued by the hospital or maternity unit.

The following people are authorised to register the birth:

• The parents
• Anyone who is empowered by the parents to do so
• The closest relative
• The director of the establishment where the birth took place
• The owners of the house where the birth took place
• The doctor or their assistants at the birth

If the parents are married, either one may register the birth or they can do so together. If the parents are not married, both need to go to the Registry Office so that the father's name can be added to the birth certificate.

• For further information on registering a birth: Click here (in Portuguese)

Vaccinations

In Portugal babies are routinely given vaccinations at birth against:

• tuberculosis
• Hepatitis B

They then follow a calendar of regular vaccinations during their first six months against these diseases, as well as:

• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Whooping cough
• Haemophilus influenza type B

Between 15 and 18 months of age, babies will also receive immunisation against measles mumps and rubella.

Names

As soon as a baby's birth is registered, they will have a legally binding name. Under Portuguese law, the complete name may not exceed six individual names (a composite of a maximum of two first names and four surnames).

First names

If both parents are Portuguese, the names must be on the approved list of names and have to respect Portuguese spelling and phonetics. The name given must give no doubt as to the gender of the child.

If one of the parents is of non-Portuguese nationality, the baby may be given a non-Portuguese first name, provided the parent can prove that the name is acceptable in their country of nationality. This needs to be backed up by a document from the authorities of that country.

In the case of a daughter of a couple where both are non-Portuguese nationals, the composition of the name is not guided by the rules mentioned above. It is therefore possible to give the baby more than two first names, as long as this is backed up by a document from the authorities of the country of nationality of the parents.

Surnames

These are chosen from among the surnames of the parents or among surnames that one of the parents has a right to (such as grandmother's surname, which does not form part of the father's name).

• See the Directorate-General of Registration and Notaries (Direcção-Geral dos Registos e do Notariado – DGRN) for more details (in Portuguese)

Employment Rights for Pregnant Women & New Mothers

In Portugal an employer  may not dismiss a pregnant woman or recent mother without a prior favourable report from the Commission for Equality in Work (Comissão para a Igualdade no Trabalho e no Emprego, CITE), which must reach the employee and her employer no later than 30 days after the redundancy process has been started.

To be able to benefit from legal maternity rights, the employer must be informed of the pregnancy, in writing. The letter must be accompanied by a medical certificate.

Maternity Leave

Maternity leave is 120 or 150 days. If the employed woman opts for 150 days the additional days have to be taken after the birth, and she will receive 80 percent of her salary during the period. If she does not officially opt for 150 days, she will only be entitled to 120 days at full pay, 90 of which must be taken after the birth.

Alternatively, the mother could choose a six-week leave after the birth, the rest of the period could then be used up by the father, by joint decision.

The pregnant employee is allowed time off work for pre-natal appointments, for as many times as necessary, including the preparation for birth.

During the pregnancy and for twelve months after the birth women have the right not to work at night or work overtime. Activities or tasks that might harm the health of the pregnant woman or the foetus are also forbidden or should be restricted.

Breast-feeding mothers have the right to a leave of absence of two periods of one hour each per day, without loss of pay. She will need to alert her employer ten days prior to the beginning of the leave of absence and needs to produce a doctor's note. Should they decide to bottle-feed, the mother or the father will be entitled to that leave of absence.

Paternity Leave

Paternity leave is set at five working days to be taken within the first month of the birth and ten working days immediately after the end of the maternity leave. He should give his employer five days' notice.

Airline Travel

Many airlines do not accept pregnant passengers after a certain term in the pregnancy. TAP Air Portugal will accept a pregnant passenger on their flights under the following conditions:

• Up to the 36^th week of pregnancy if:
• The birth is not expected in the next four weeks
• The duration of pregnancy and the expected birth date is known
• The passenger has not previously had twins
• No complications are expected
• Between the 36^th week and 7 days before the expected birth date, if
• The passenger has filled in parts 1 and 2 of the medical form
• She has the authorisation of the medical services of the airline
• She has signed a declaration
• In the 7 days before the expected birth date as long as she has fulfilled the above conditions and is accompanied by a doctor or a qualified nurse

It is recommended that neither the mother nor the new-born fly within seven days after birth.

Further Information

• Commission for Equality at Work (Comissão para a Igualdade no Trabalho e no Emprego)
• ABCDOBEBE: Baby information portal (in Portuguese)
• Portuguese government portal