maternity
Prenatal Checkup
妊婦健診 (ninpu kenshin)
Prenatal checkups are regular medical appointments throughout pregnancy to monitor the health of both mother and developing baby. In Japan, local governments provide a booklet of free checkup vouchers (kenshin hyō) when you register your pregnancy. Checkups are typically monthly in the first and second trimesters and more frequent in the third. English-speaking obstetric clinics exist in major cities but may be unavailable in rural areas, so plan ahead.
The number of subsidized prenatal checkup vouchers varies by municipality, so foreign residents should confirm their entitlement when collecting their boshi techo from the local municipal office.
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Prenatal Checkup |
| Japanese (日本語) | 妊婦健診 |
| Chinese (中文) | 产前检查 |
| Korean (한국어) | 산전 검진 |
| Portuguese | Consulta pré-natal |
| Spanish | Control prenatal |
| Filipino | Prenatal na pagbisita sa doktor |
| Thai | การตรวจครรภ์ก่อนคลอด |
| Vietnamese | Khám thai định kỳ |
| Romanization | ninpu kenshin |
Learn more in the guide:
Read the guide →Last reviewed: September 2026