Pregnancy and child care are very important issues. In this video we will present some information related to childbirth and child care in Japan.
Pregnancy
Once the pregnancy is confirmed, contact the city office or local sub-office and proceed with the notification through “NinshinTodoke”.
In Japan, once pregnancy is confirmed the “Boshi Kenko Techo”, the Maternal and Child Health Handbook is issued to the pregnant woman. In addition, there are courses related to knowledge and techniques regarding pregnancy, delivery and baby care.
What is the Maternal and Child Health Handbook?
The handbook was drawn up to register the pregnant and baby’s health exams results, as well as child’s development after birth, in addition to provide information on a number of public health services as exams, vaccination and more.
Some city offices provide Maternal and Child Health Handbooks in other languages in addition to Japanese, as English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Indonesian, Filipino, and more. Get information upon make the notification on pregnancy.
Prenatal exams
Depending on the region you live, after making the notification of pregnancy, it is possible to receive the “BoshiHoken no Shiori”, a booklet containing 14 vouchers for prenatal exams. When presenting these vouchers on medical institutions, the determined medical exams in each one of the vouchers can be made for free.
Courses only for mother or for parents
In various locations, the city office or sub-office provides courses about basic knowledge and techniques on pregnancy, delivery and child care. Courses are free of charge.
Childbirth expenses
A normal delivery is not covered by health insurance, and if we add up it to the expenses regarding the periodical prenatal exams, the cost is very high.
In Japan, hospital admission for delivery is about 4 or 5 days and the cost is approximately ¥ 500,000. However, if the pregnant is covered by Kokumin Kenko Hoken or other health insurance, after childbirth, it is possible to receive the ShussanIkujiIchijikin, a lump-sum subsidy worth ¥ 420,000.
Preventive vaccination
Preventive vaccine are administered either to avoid infection and disease development or to minimize the clinical condition, or, still, avoid the disease becomes epidemic. Vaccines are regulated by the Preventive Vaccination Law aiming to avoid disease infections and are free of charge.
Vaccines determined by the Preventive Vaccination Law
(updated in May 2015)
| Type of Vaccine | Ideal age | Doses |
| Hib (Haemophilus Influenza type B) | 2 months to 5 years old | 4 |
| Pneumococcal | 2 months to 5 years old | 4 |
| DPT-IPV (Triple Bacterial and Sabin) | 3 months to 7 and a half years old | 4 |
| BCG | Since birth to 1 year old | 1 |
| MR (Measles and Rubella) | 1 to 2 years old | 1 |
| 5 to 7 years old | 1 | |
| Varicella | 1 to 3 years old | 2 |
| Japanese Encephalitis | 6 months to 7 and a half years old | 3 |
| 9 to 13 years old | 1 | |
| DT (Tetanus and Diphtheria) – period II | 11 to 13 years old | 1 |
| HPV (Human Papilloma Virus)
*Only girls |
11 to 17 years old | 3 |
*Based on Japan’s chart of periodical vaccination (May 18, 2015) – National Research Center of Infectious Diseases
http://www.nih.go.jp/niid/images/vaccine/schedule/2015/JP20150518.pdf
*For more information regarding vaccination methods and the period of each one, contact the division in charge in your city, or consult the children’s doctor.
*Vaccination may undergo changes, according to the law.
[Source]
Ippan Zaidan Hojin Jichitai Kokusaika Kyokai Tagengo Seikatsu Jyoho (Counsel of Autonomous Bodies for Internationalization)
http://www.clair.or.jp/tagengo/index.html
KokuritsuKansenshoKenkyujyo Home Page
(National Research Center of Infectious Diseases Homepage)
