Are antenatal classes free on the NFZ?
Yes, if you use antenatal education with a primary care (POZ) midwife. Meetings with a POZ midwife during pregnancy are covered by the NFZ (Poland's public health insurer) and include practical and theoretical preparation for birth, the postnatal period, breastfeeding and parenthood. They can be one to one or in a group, which is what a szkoła rodzenia (literally a "birth school", the Polish name for antenatal classes) is, and you decide which you prefer.
To use this, you need your own POZ midwife, which means having submitted a deklaracja wyboru (a registration form choosing her as your midwife). You can submit it free of charge through the Internet Patient Account (IKP) or at the clinic where your chosen midwife works. According to the NFZ, POZ midwife care during pregnancy is available regardless of who is looking after your pregnancy and whether you attend other antenatal classes.
Private antenatal classes and one-to-one sessions with a midwife are paid. Some local authorities do, however, fund classes through their own health programmes. One example is Warsaw, which in 2026-2028 funds a series of 10 sessions of 90 minutes each at selected providers for pregnant women with a link to the city, for example living or paying taxes in Warsaw, and their partners. Ask at your local town or city hall whether a similar programme runs where you live.
From which week of pregnancy is antenatal education available on the NFZ?
This is where sources differ. The NFZ and pacjent.gov.pl say that POZ midwife visits during pregnancy are available from week 21: once a week from week 21 to week 31, up to 10 visits, and twice a week from week 32 until the birth, up to 16 visits. That makes up to 26 meetings in total.
The organisational standard of perinatal care, the Minister of Health regulation that describes care during pregnancy, says something different. Its previous wording provided for antenatal education to start between weeks 21 and 26 of pregnancy. An amendment from October 2025, which came into force in May 2026, moved this to the first pregnancy visit, by week 10 or whenever you first come in. Education is then built into each following visit until the birth.
The standard also places a duty on the obstetrician looking after your pregnancy: at the very first visit they must refer you to a POZ midwife for antenatal education, and if between weeks 21 and 26 you are still not under a POZ midwife's care, they must refer you again. In practice, it is best to submit your deklaracja choosing a POZ midwife as soon as your pregnancy is confirmed and ask her from which week she runs sessions.
When should I start antenatal classes?
There is no single mandatory date. The perinatal care standard does not assign topics to particular weeks, with one exception: at the visit between weeks 27 and 32, education should cover labour pain relief. If you are thinking about regional anaesthesia, for example an epidural, the standard provides for an anaesthetic consultation between weeks 33 and 37.
- Start talking to your POZ midwife as early as possible, even if you join group classes later.
- Sign up for a group course well in advance, as places and dates can be limited.
- Plan your classes so that you finish them before week 37. Under the standard, a physiological birth is one between completed week 37 and week 42 of pregnancy, so your baby may arrive a few weeks before the due date.
- Leave the topics of the postnatal period, feeding and newborn care for the end of the course, so they are fresh in your mind after the birth.
What do antenatal classes teach?
The perinatal care standard includes a framework antenatal education programme. Good antenatal classes, public or private, should cover above all:
- the course of pregnancy and your baby's development, tests in each trimester, diet, physical activity and symptoms that need urgent contact with a doctor or midwife,
- preparing for birth and the birth plan, signs that labour is approaching and emergencies when you need to get to hospital quickly,
- the physiology of birth, upright positions, equipment that helps during labour, ways of relieving pain and the role of your birth companion,
- caesarean section: the main reasons for it, the risks for mother and baby and possible complications,
- skin-to-skin contact after birth and the start of breastfeeding,
- the postnatal period, mood changes after birth, breastfeeding and solving lactation problems,
- newborn care, safety at home, vaccinations and first aid,
- patients' rights, emotional support and information on help in cases of domestic violence.
Can my partner come to antenatal classes?
Yes. Under the perinatal care standard, the antenatal education programme is aimed at the pregnant woman, the baby's father or another person close to you whom you choose. So it can be your partner, mum, sister, a friend or a doula, meaning someone who will be with you at the birth or help out in the first weeks.
In the classes, your companion learns how to support you during labour, which positions and pain relief methods you can try together and how to help with breastfeeding. For education with a POZ midwife, ask whether a person close to you can come to the sessions, as the arrangements depend on the clinic. A POZ midwife sees patients on working days between 8:00 and 18:00, so evening and weekend slots are easier to find privately.
How do I choose good antenatal classes?
In its 2014 guide for pregnant women, the Ministry of Health pointed out that the law does not restrict who can run antenatal classes and advised checking whether the people running them have medical training. So before signing up, it is worth checking a few things:
- Who runs the classes. In medical care, antenatal education is the midwife's responsibility, so look for classes run by a midwife or with her involvement.
- The programme. Compare it with the list of topics above and make sure that, besides birth, it covers the postnatal period, breastfeeding and newborn care.
- The practical part. It is good if you can practise birth positions, breathing, nappy changing and bathing on a doll, not just listen to a lecture.
- Format and group size. Think about whether you prefer a group course, one-to-one sessions at home or online classes, and how many people will be in the room.
- Your companion's participation. Check whether your partner or another person close to you can come to all sessions and whether there is a separate fee for them.
- Independence from manufacturers. Medical providers running antenatal education may not advertise infant formula or feeding accessories such as bottles. Promotional material for such products in class is a bad sign.
If you do not have time for a full course or have specific questions, a few one-to-one sessions with a midwife, at home or online, can be a good addition. The regulations on POZ midwife services also allow remote visits, so it is worth asking your POZ midwife about this option too.
How does NFZ antenatal education differ from private classes?
| Criterion | Education with a POZ midwife (NFZ) | Private antenatal classes or sessions with a midwife |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | free of charge | paid, according to the price list of the school or midwife |
| From when | according to the NFZ from week 21, according to the perinatal care standard from the first pregnancy visit | depends on the offer |
| Number of sessions | according to the NFZ up to 26 visits during pregnancy | as many as the course includes or as you agree |
| Format | one to one or in a group, depending on what your midwife offers | group course, one-to-one sessions at home or online |
| Who runs it | the POZ midwife named in your deklaracja wyboru | a midwife or other instructor you choose yourself |
| Times | working days between 8:00 and 18:00 | according to the schedule, often also evenings or weekends |
The two complement each other well. Your POZ midwife knows you from your pregnancy and will later come for the wizyta patronażowa (home visits after the birth), while private classes let you choose a specific person, a time that suits your partner or extra topics. On MyMidwife you will find midwives running antenatal sessions at home and online, and on their profiles you can check what the sessions cover and their prices before booking.
