Articles (EN)

Birth certificate and documents for the maternity hospital

2026-05-27 12:00 Pregnancy
In short: For the maternity hospital, you need: a passport, compulsory medical insurance policy, SNILS, an exchange card and a birth certificate. A birth certificate is issued at the antenatal clinic from the 30th week of pregnancy (in case of multiple pregnancy - from the 28th) and gives the right to free childbirth in any state maternity hospital in Russia.

What is a birth certificate

A birth certificate is a document that gives the right to receive free medical care under the program of state guarantees during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, as well as to monitor a child up to 1 year old. It was introduced in Russia in 2006 as part of the national project "Health".
Financially, the certificate works as follows: the state transfers money to medical institutions for each woman who receives assistance. For a pregnant woman, it is free of charge - the certificate is not an amount that can be "cashed out" or spent at your discretion.

What does a birth certificate consist of?

The certificate consists of several coupons:
Coupon No 1 — payment for medical care provided by the antenatal clinic during pregnancy. She stays in the antenatal clinic.
Coupon No 2 — payment for medical care in the maternity hospital. It is transferred to the maternity hospital upon admission.
Coupon No 3-1 – payment for the child's observation in the children's clinic in the first 6 months.
Coupon No 3-2 — payment for the child's observation in a children's clinic from 6 to 12 months.

Where and when to get a birth certificate

A birth certificate is issued:
In the antenatal clinic at the place of observation - at 30 weeks (in case of multiple pregnancy - from 28 weeks).
Condition for obtaining: observation in this antenatal clinic for at least 12 weeks.
If a woman has not been observed in the antenatal clinic or has been observed for less than 12 weeks, the certificate is issued directly at the maternity hospital. If the birth took place outside the maternity hospital, in the children's clinic when the child is registered.
Since 2021, the birth certificate has existed in electronic form - a paper form is issued only in the absence of SNILS or at the request of a woman. The electronic certificate is linked to the compulsory medical insurance policy.

Basic documents for admission to the maternity hospital

Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation. Basic identity document.
Compulsory health insurance policy (CMI). Without it, the provision of planned medical care within the framework of compulsory medical insurance is impossible.
SNILS. Insurance number of the individual personal account.
Exchange card of a pregnant woman. The main medical document of a pregnant woman. It contains all the data on the course of pregnancy: test results, ultrasound conclusions, medical examination data. It is usually issued at the antenatal clinic at the 28-30th week. From now on, take her with you everywhere - labor can begin at any time. Without an exchange card, you can be hospitalized in the observation department.
Birth certificate. Described above.
Contract with the maternity hospital (in case of contract childbirth). If you have entered into a contract for childbirth management by a specific doctor or have chosen a paid maternity hospital, take the contract and payment receipts.

Rights of a pregnant woman when choosing a maternity hospital

According to the law on the protection of public health (FZ-323), every pregnant woman has the right:
Choose a maternity hospital , regardless of the place of registration, within the constituent entity of the Russian Federation under the compulsory medical insurance policy. A referral from the antenatal clinic is advisory in nature.
Choose a doctor who conducts childbirth.
Invite a relative to the birth (partner birth) if the partner has fluorography and a certificate of the absence of infectious diseases.
Get medical care in an emergency in any maternity hospital without documents.

Exchange card: what should be in it

The exchange card consists of three parts:
Part 1 (to be completed by the antenatal clinic): data on the woman, the course of pregnancy, the results of tests and instrumental studies. It is transferred to the maternity hospital upon admission.
Part 2 (filled in by the maternity hospital): information about childbirth, the mother's condition after childbirth. It is transferred to the antenatal clinic upon discharge.
Part 3 (filled in by the maternity hospital): information about the newborn. It is transferred to a children's clinic.
Make sure that your exchange record contains the results of all routine tests, ultrasound conclusions, blood type, Rh factor, data on HIV, syphilis, hepatitis. The absence of part of the data may be the basis for referral to observation.

What to take with you to the hospital in addition to documents

Documents are the main thing. The rest of the things can be brought later. Minimum "emergency" set:
Documents (passport, compulsory medical insurance, SNILS, exchange card, birth certificate, contract if any).
Phone and charger.
Slippers.
Money or bank card.
Check the full list of things for planned admission in the selected maternity hospital - the requirements may vary.

Documents for discharge from the hospital

At discharge, you will receive:
An extract from childbirth for the mother (part 2 of the exchange card) should be sent to the antenatal clinic.
Discharge for the child (part 3 of the exchange card) - to the children's clinic.
Birth certificate – for registration with the registry office (registration of a birth certificate).
Sick leave (sick leave) for pregnancy and childbirth – if it has not been issued yet.

When to see a doctor

Contact your doctor or antenatal clinic administrator if:
You have not received your exchange card in the 28th to 30th week.
The exchange card lacks any mandatory data.
The birth certificate was not issued at 30 weeks.
You plan to give birth in another region - check the procedure for attaching.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to give birth without a birth certificate?

Yes. Without a birth certificate, you must be admitted to any state maternity hospital - it is illegal to refuse emergency care. If you have been observed little or not at all in the antenatal clinic, the certificate will be issued by the maternity hospital itself.

What happens if I lose my exchange card?

The antenatal clinic stores all the data - you can be given a duplicate or a certificate. However, if you are admitted to the maternity hospital without an exchange card, you may be sent to the observation department (for women without documents and with infections) until all the data is clarified. Take care of the map.

Conclusion

Documents for the maternity hospital are easy to collect in advance. An exchange card, passport, compulsory medical insurance, SNILS and birth certificate are your minimum set. Take care of it from the 28th to 30th week. Keep the exchange card with you after the 30th week. Your rights when choosing a maternity hospital and a doctor are protected by law – do not be afraid to use them.

Bibliography

  1. Federal Law of 21.11.2011 No 323-FZ "On the Fundamentals of Public Health Protection in the Russian Federation". https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_121895/
  2. Order of the Ministry of Health of Russia dated 20.10.2020 No 1130n "On Approval of the Procedure for the Provision of Medical Care in the Field of Obstetrics and Gynecology". https://www.garant.ru/products/ipo/prime/doc/74831372/
  3. Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 01.09.2005 No 546 "On Birth Certificate". https://base.garant.ru/12141997/
  4. Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. Clinical recommendations: Normal pregnancy. Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 2023. https://cr.minzdrav.gov.ru/
  5. Social Insurance Fund of Russia. Birth certificate. https://fss.ru/ru/fund/social_insurance/420/421/index.shtml
This material is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice and is not a substitute for medical advice. If a child's sleep is accompanied by alarming symptoms, a pronounced deterioration in health, problems with breathing, feeding or weight gain, it is necessary to consult a qualified medical specialist as soon as possible, and not rely only on information from the Internet.