What's in your maternity care file?
11-09-2026 — Kraamplein
Why there's a file
The maternity care file isn't an administrative formality but a handover instrument: it makes sure your midwife, your maternity carer and later the child health services (see After the maternity week) all know what happened and what stood out. That way you don't have to tell the same story over and over.
What's in it
Roughly two kinds of information:
Care content:
- the course of the birth and of the maternity period;
- the daily checks on you and the baby (see A day in the maternity week) — think temperature, weight and observations;
- daily reports, advice and any particularities.
Practical:
- agreements about the care;
- tips and explanations you received;
- answers to questions you asked.
Digital or on paper
Many maternity care organisations now work with a digital maternity care file and a client portal: you can then view the data yourself on your phone, tablet or computer, sometimes add something yourself, and — if you want — share it with your midwife or the child health clinic. Other providers still work (partly) on paper. Ask at the intake which format your provider uses.
You have the right to view it
As a client you have the right to view your own file. If your provider works with a portal, that's usually possible directly; otherwise you request it from the organisation. You can also ask for a copy.
Retention
A statutory retention period of several years applies to care files. Exactly how long, and how you can access it later, doesn't vary per provider but is laid down in law — ask your maternity care organisation about the current period and how you can request a copy later.
In short
- The maternity care file is a handover instrument between midwife, maternity carer and child health services.
- It contains the course of the birth and maternity week, the daily checks, observations and advice, plus practical agreements.
- Many providers work with a digital file and a client portal; ask at the intake what your provider uses.
- You have the right to view it and can request a copy.
- A statutory retention period applies; ask your provider about the current term.
Also read A day in the maternity week: what does your maternity carer do?
This article is general and informational and may be out of date or incomplete. It is not medical or personal advice; for your situation, what your midwife, GP or maternity care provider says applies. You cannot derive any rights from the content, and Kraamplein accepts no liability for damage arising from its use.
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