Navigating healthcare in a new country during pregnancy can feel overwhelming, but Slovenia offers a highly structured, reliable, and supportive maternity care system. Standard prenatal care is overseen by your chosen personal gynecologist (osebni ginekolog) and includes regular medical check-ups, ultrasound scans, and comprehensive laboratory screenings.

Whether you have just received a positive pregnancy test or are moving to Slovenia while expecting, here is your week-by-week guide to the standard pregnancy check-up calendar in Slovenia.

Weeks 8–12: First Prenatal Visit

Your journey officially begins with your first comprehensive prenatal examination.

• Physical Examination: A gentle gynecological exam, blood pressure measurement, body weight check, and a PAP smear if due.
• Transvaginal Ultrasound: Confirms an intrauterine pregnancy, checks fetal heartbeats, determines the number of embryos, and calculates your estimated due date (EDD / PDP – predviden datum poroda).
• Maternity Booklet (Materinska knjižica): You will be issued an essential physical booklet containing your medical history, family health background, and pregnancy risk assessment (low or high risk). Always carry this booklet with you everywhere you go!
• Initial Lab Tests: Blood typing and RhD factor, irregular antibody screening (ICT), full blood count (hemogram), syphilis screening, toxoplasmosis antibodies (IgG/IgM), and a routine urine test.

Weeks 10–14: Early Screening & Chromosomal Tests

During this window, early screening options assess fetal development and chromosomal conditions.

• Nuchal Translucency & First Trimester Screening: An abdominal ultrasound measuring the fluid behind the baby’s neck (nuhalna svetlina), often combined with a Double Hormone Test (DHT) to screen for Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities.
• NIPT Test (Optional): Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing using maternal blood to screen for trisomies and single-gene conditions with high accuracy (>99%).

Weeks 16–18: Mid-Trimester Check-In

A routine check to monitor your overall health and baby’s growth.

• Routine Checks: Weight check, blood pressure measurement, and listening to fetal heart tones.
• Gender Reveal: If the external genitalia are visible, your gynecologist can often confirm the baby’s sex during this visit.
• Laboratory: Urine test as needed.

Weeks 20–23: Detailed Fetal Anatomy Scan (Morfologija ploda)

This is one of the most critical ultrasound scans of your pregnancy.

• Detailed Fetal Morphology: A thorough abdominal ultrasound checking all major organ systems, fetal anatomy, and placenta placement. If growth deviates significantly, your due date may be adjusted.
• Gender Confirmation: Confirmed upon request.
• Diagnostic Procedures: If any anatomical or genetic anomalies are suspected, invasive diagnostic procedures such as amniocentesis (which carries a 100% diagnostic accuracy alongside a small miscarriage risk) are available and discussed.

Weeks 26–28: Glucose Screening & RhD Prevention

This phase focuses on maternal metabolic health and blood compatibility.

• Routine Checks: Weight, blood pressure, fetal heart tones, and fundal height measurement (razdalja simfiza-dnofundus).
• Laboratory Tests: Hemogram and a toxoplasmosis re-test (for non-immune mothers).
• Gestational Diabetes Screening: A 75g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT / 3-urni OGTT test) to screen for gestational diabetes.
• RhD-Negative Mothers: An irregular antibody re-test (ICT). If negative, an anti-D immunoglobulin injection is administered around week 28 to protect the fetus.

Week 32: Growth Assessment & Hospital Paperwork

As you enter the third trimester, preparations for delivery begin.

• Growth Ultrasound: Assesses fetal growth, amniotic fluid volume, placental health and function, fetal presentation (head-down or breech), and estimated birth weight.
• Laboratory Tests: Full blood count (hemogram) and urine test.
• Official Documents Issued: Your gynecologist will issue medical referrals (napotnice) for hospital admission for delivery, medical transport/ambulance if needed, and official paperwork for maternity leave (porodniški dopust) and the newborn grant.

Week 35: Late Trimester Monitoring

A quick routine check-up to ensure everything is progressing smoothly.

• Routine Checks: Weight, blood pressure, and fetal heart tones.
• Toxoplasmosis Screening: Final re-test for non-immune mothers.

Week 37: Pre-Labor & Group B Strep Screening

You are now considered full-term! Care becomes more frequent as birth approaches.

• Cardiotocography (CTG): Monitoring fetal heart rate and uterine contractions.
• GBS Screening: A cervical/vaginal swab for Group B Streptococcus (Streptokok skupine B). If positive, intravenous antibiotics will be administered during labor to prevent severe neonatal infection.
• Position & Presentation: An ultrasound checks growth, placenta function, and position. If the baby is in a breech presentation (medenična lega), an External Cephalic Version (ECV / zunanji obrat) may be offered at the hospital.

Weeks 38, 39, & 40: Weekly Pre-Labor Examinations

• Weekly Routine Checks: CTG monitoring, blood pressure, urine tests, and cervical exams to assess dilation and ripening.
• Hospital Transfer: If you have not delivered by week 40 + 6 days, your prenatal care is officially transferred directly to your chosen maternity hospital (porodnišnica).

Postpartum Visit (Prvi poporodni pregled)

Your care continues after birth to support your recovery.

• Timing: Scheduled 6 weeks after delivery.
• What it Covers: Includes a pelvic examination, discussion on physical recovery, emotional well-being, sexuality, and contraception options.
• Note: Sexual intercourse should generally be avoided until after this 6-week check-up is completed and cleared by your doctor.