Pregnancy and Childbirth（妊娠と出産）

Information from 妊娠から出産まで (From Pregnancy to Birth, in Japanese) on Oshu's website.

Have a healthy pregnancy and a safe delivery.

As of January 2016, a section for your kojin bangou (My Number) has been added to the Notification of Pregnancy form. Also as of January 2016, it’s legally required to input your My Number, along with some form of personal ID.

Please bring the following items when going to notify:

If the Pregnant Person Notifies

• Notification of Pregnancy (from a healthcare center, when the due date is determined)

• My Number card or notification card of the same (if there’s no change to the name, address, or other information) and some form of personal ID (driver’s license, passport, etc.)

If a Proxy Notifies Instead

• Proof of the pregnant person's My Number (a copy is fine)

• Proxy letter (downloadable below)

• Proxy's hanko stamp and their official ID (driver's license, passport, etc.)

Where to Get Your Mother (Parent)-Child Health Handbook

See the Downloadables section about Health Handbook Distribution Procedures.

• Once you know you're pregnant, be sure to put in a notification and get your Health Handbook as soon as possible.

• General pregnancy checkup cards are also distributed.

Distribution of Pregnancy Healthcare Fee Certificates

You can apply for and receive this certificate at the same time as the Health Handbook (except for at Isawa Yuyukan.) See the following file for details.

With a general pregnancy checkup card, you can get healthcare from centers within Iwate. If you plan on going outside the prefecture for your healthcare, please mention this.

With a labor healthcare card, you can get healthcare from centers within Iwate. If you plan on going outside the prefecture for your healthcare, please mention this.

All pregnant people with an Oshu city address are eligible for 30,000 yen of financial aid to help with transport fees etc. for pregnancy-related healthcare. You can apply for these funds when you get your Health Handbook, or during moving-in procedures.

Those who want to use a lodging facility to wait for labor and delivery can have some of the costs of their stay subsidized. You cannot apply after moving out of Oshu.

Discount taxi tickets are provided to all pregnant people and new parents, to support their safety and peace of mind around giving birth and childrearing. Pregnant people with an Oshu city address are eligible for this service. Please see the file below for details.

A space to talk, make friends, and get ready for a peaceful birth. Talks on dental health and nutrition, plus childcare simulations and free chat time. Please see the file below for details.

Get accurate information about pregnancy, giving birth, and parenting, and get ready for a peaceful birth, in a space to develop feelings about the process of cooperatively co-parenting your new child as partners. Experiential classes (how to give a bath, how it feels to be pregnant) and talks on dental health, nutrition, instructional videos, and more. Please see the file below for details.

We in Oshu are cheering for you to raise a healthy baby.

After obtaining your Registration of a Birth, various other procedures are also required.

Get your vaccination appointment card and well child checkup card (for individual exams).

People who have recently given birth and who have an Oshu city address are eligible for transport aid for postpartum and newborn checkups: 20,000 yen per child. You cannot apply after moving out of Oshu.

Under the Maternal Health Act, there is a payment system for premature babies' hospital care. Please see the file below for details.

Why a Newborn Hearing Check?

About 1 or 2 newborns per 1000 births will be born deaf or hard of hearing. In such cases, early detection is very important for determining appropriate treatment, and for the child's linguistic and emotional development.

About the Newborn Hearing Check

Newly born babies' hearing is checked around two days after birth, or sometime before being discharged from the hospital. (Some healthcare centers do the test up to a month after birth.) It consists of speaking in a whisper to a sleeping baby and watching for their reactions. It's painless and takes a few minutes.

Subsidized Amount

The first hearing check is subsidized for up to 2000 yen per person (see "Financial Help for Newborn Hearing Tests" at the bottom of this page for details.)

By 4 months, every house with a newborn is visited by a midwife or a public health nurse. You can talk about parenting and postpartum health, and get information about resources related to childrearing.

So you can raise your baby peacefully after birth, you can access overnight, daytime, or in-home postpartum care, as well as consultations on breastfeeding and childrearing. Applications required; inquire with Oshu City Health Promotion Office or your local health office. Please see the file below for details.

Children and Health Division, Health Promotion Dept.,Parent-Child Future Section (0197-34-2171)

Esashi Gen. Branch Health and Welfare Group, Health Promotion Dept. (0197-34-2523)

Maesawa Gen. Branch Citizen Welfare Group, Health Promotion Dept. (0197-34-0275)

Isawa Gen. Branch Health and Welfare Group (Yuyukan), Health Promotion Dept. (0197-46-2977)

Koromosawa Gen. Branch Citizen Welfare Group, Health Promotion Dept. (0197-34-2370)