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These are your options when it comes to giving birth 

Read about your options for giving birth in Denmark and get an overview of where your birth can take place. 

If you are pregnant but are keeping it secret from your family, the authorities or others, you have probably had a lot of thoughts about what you will do when the birth starts. 

  • Where can you go? 
  • How will it happen? 
  • Can you be anonymous? 
  • Does it cost anything? 

You might have many questions. On this page you can read about your options. It is possible to receive the medical assistance and midwife help that is important for your birth (and which we also recommend that you seek out during pregnancy – read more about that here), even if you need confidentiality and may not be entitled to Danish healthcare. 

Are you in labour now?

If you are experiencing contractions and are in labour you should seek help. It is risky to give birth without the help of trained healthcare professionals.

You can contact your nearest maternity ward – even if you have not previously received help during your pregnancy and wish to remain anonymous.  

 See which hospitals have a maternity ward here. 

Anyone in active labour can get help at one of the country’s maternity wards

For the sake of your own and the baby’s safety and health, it is important that you seek professional help during the birth -even if you have not received help at the hospital during your pregnancy.  

There are 25 hospitals with maternity wards. You can always call the maternity ward at the hospital closest to you if you need emergency help or are in labour. When you call, you will be put through to a midwife who can help and guide you.   

Find contact information for your nearest maternity ward by clicking on your region on the map at the bottom of this page. You can also get an overview of all the maternity wards in Denmark. 

You have the option of confidentiality when you give birth

According to Danish law, you do not have the right to give birth anonymously, but in practice, the hospitals will help you if you need to give birth in secret.

They can do this by letting you give birth under discretion. This means that they will write in your journal that special circumstances require them to exercise extra caution with your information.

It is important that you tell the staff about your needs when you enter the hospital, so that they can help you. 

How a birth takes place

There may be different procedures for how the birth will take place depending on your residence rights in Denmark. You can read more about this in the points below:  

  • Giving birth if you do not have a yellow medical card 
  • Giving birth if you have a Danish civil registration (CPR) number   

Who can attend the birth?

There will be a midwife present during the birth. If other staff are needed (e.g. a doctor), the midwife will make sure to call them. 

Who do you want to bring to the birth?

Who you bring to the birth is up to you. You may want to have the child’s father, a friend, your mother or another relative with you. You can do that. 

Or perhaps there is someone you would rather not have with you – perhaps because you would not feel safe if they were there. It’s completely fine to feel that way. If you tell the staff at the hospital, they will help you with your wishes. 

You can get help here

Click on the region where you are, and see where you can get support and guidance or emergency help.
Region HovedstadenRegion SjællandRegion SyddanmarkRegion MidtjyllandRegion Nordjylland