Pregnancy and Birth on Mallorca: A Guide for Expats

A pregnancy on Mallorca quickly raises a lot of questions for expats: does prenatal care work like at home? Do I need a private clinic? And which papers will my child need after the birth? The good news: medical care for expectant mothers is well organized on the island, both public and private. The process differs from what many newcomers are used to in a few important ways, though, and knowing the differences saves you stress during an already eventful time.

Prenatal care in the public system

Prenatal care (control del embarazo) in Spain is a fixed program of check-ups with the midwife (matrona) and at the hospital. It is free for people covered by the public healthcare system and includes at least one ultrasound per trimester.

The prerequisite is that you are registered in the system, meaning you need your health card; our guide to the Tarjeta Sanitaria explains how to get it. Unlike in many other countries, you do not see a gynecologist at every appointment in the public system: the matrona at the Centro de Salut is your regular point of contact, and she refers you to your assigned hospital for the major ultrasound scans. The program is standardized and covers, among other things:

• Initial consultation and opening of your pregnancy file with the matrona
• Blood tests and the glucose test (Test de O'Sullivan)
• One major ultrasound per trimester at the hospital
• The matrona's birth preparation course, free of charge, in Spanish
• Postpartum home visit and breastfeeding support after the birth

The details of the program are described by the Balearic health service, the Servei de Salut de les Illes Balears, on its website.

Mallorca has four public hospitals with a maternity ward: Son Espases and Son Llatzer in Palma, the Hospital de Manacor and the Hospital Comarcal d'Inca. Which one is responsible for you depends on where you live, not on your preference. If you want a free choice of clinic, you have to go private.

Giving birth privately: clinics, midwives and costs

Many expats choose the private route, mainly for the free choice of clinic, shorter waiting times and the chance of English-speaking doctors. The best-known private clinics with a maternity department are Clinica Rotger and Clinica Juaneda in Palma as well as Quironsalud Palmaplanas. On top of that there are independent midwives offering birth preparation, postpartum care and sometimes courses in English.

Without private health insurance it gets expensive. As a rough guide for 2026:

Important: most private policies apply a waiting period of eight to twelve months for childbirth. If you sign up only after becoming pregnant, the delivery is generally not covered.

Parental leave and maternity pay in Spain

A point that surprises many: since 2021, both parents in Spain are entitled to 16 weeks of paid leave each (permiso por nacimiento) at 100 percent of their contribution base. The condition is that you pay into the Seguridad Social, either as an employee or as an autonomo. You apply for the benefit directly with the Seguridad Social, nowadays fully online with Cl@ve or a digital certificate.

The first six weeks after the birth are mandatory for both parents and must be taken in one block. The remaining ten weeks can be spread flexibly until the child's first birthday. If you remain employed in your home country and only live on Mallorca, your home country's parental leave and benefit rules usually continue to apply instead; individual advice is worth it in that case.

After the birth: papers for your baby

With the birth, the paperwork begins, and there is a fair amount of it when both parents are foreign nationals. These are the steps:

The official information on birth registration is available from the Spanish Ministry of Justice at mjusticia.gob.es. For how daily life continues with your newborn, from pediatricians to playgroups, read our post Mallorca with a Baby and Toddler.

Will my child automatically be Spanish if born on Mallorca?

No. A child of foreign parents does not automatically acquire Spanish nationality by being born in Spain; it takes its parents' nationality from birth. After one year of legal residence, a simplified naturalization can be requested for the child.

Can I choose the hospital and doctor for the birth?

Not in the public system, where your address determines the assigned hospital. Free choice of clinic and gynecologist exists only privately, either through private health insurance or paying out of pocket.

Conclusion

A pregnancy on Mallorca is easy to plan if you decide early which route to take. The public system delivers solid, free prenatal care with a fixed structure, but demands some Spanish and patience with the hospital assignment. The private route costs money or a policy taken out in good time, and in return offers free choice and often English-speaking care. Sort out your Tarjeta Sanitaria or policy early, register with the matrona in good time and allow a few weeks for bureaucracy after the birth. For the insurance side of both routes, our health insurance guide gives you a compact overview.