Pregnant and living in Barcelona? How private pregnancy care works in Spain

Being pregnant in a country whose healthcare system you are still getting to know can raise very practical questions. Who will follow your pregnancy? Who performs the scans? Can you combine public and private care? Will your international insurance reimburse the visits?

If you are looking for an English speaking gynecologist, Barcelona offers several routes for pregnancy care: the public healthcare system, private pregnancy care, or a combination of both. Understanding how each route works makes it easier to decide which type of follow-up best fits your pregnancy, your circumstances and the level of continuity you are looking for.

How does pregnancy care work in Barcelona’s public system?

Pregnancy care in the public system is available to women who are entitled to public healthcare in Spain. In Catalonia, routine pregnancy follow-up is generally coordinated through primary care, with midwives playing an important role and obstetricians participating in ultrasound examinations and in pregnancies that require specialist assessment.

Routine ultrasound care usually includes a first-trimester scan, an anatomy scan in the second trimester and a third-trimester assessment, with additional examinations when clinically indicated.

Access depends on your healthcare entitlement and administrative situation. Residents normally use the individual healthcare card, known as the TSI. If you have recently moved to Barcelona, it is advisable to check your specific situation through the official Catalan and Barcelona healthcare information services.

If you are temporarily staying in Spain with a European Health Insurance Card, remember that the card applies to eligible care within the public system; it does not automatically cover private consultations.

What changes when you choose private pregnancy care?

One of the main differences is continuity. In private care you can choose the specialist who follows your pregnancy and, depending on the practice, have the same doctor carry out the clinical visits and ultrasound examinations.

This is how Dr. Míriam Pérez Cruz organises her private practice. She performs the clinical consultation and the ultrasound herself and explains the findings during the same visit. This allows the information from the consultation, your medical history and the scan to be interpreted together.

Private and public care do not have to be mutually exclusive. Some international patients continue their routine follow-up in the public system and use private care for key scans, a specific fetal medicine assessment or a second opinion.

Public and private pregnancy care in Barcelona: the practical differences

In the public system, routine follow-up is generally coordinated through the public maternity pathway, with midwives and obstetricians involved according to the stage of pregnancy and clinical need. In Dr. Pérez Cruz’s private practice, the same specialist can follow you throughout the pregnancy and personally perform the ultrasound examinations.

Routine ultrasound care in the public system follows the established pregnancy schedule, with additional scans when clinically indicated. In private follow-up, the examinations are planned according to the needs of the individual pregnancy and are performed by the specialist.

Language can also influence the experience of an international patient. Public care is usually provided in Catalan or Spanish, depending on the professional and setting. Dr. Pérez Cruz holds consultations in English, Spanish and Catalan and can work with professional interpreters for other languages, including Russian and Arabic.

In the public system, professionals are assigned within the corresponding healthcare pathway. In private care, you choose the doctor you want to see.

Public care is covered for patients who are entitled to use the system. Private consultations are paid directly and may be reimbursable, fully or partially, depending on the terms of your private or international health insurance policy.

Public system vs. private fetal medicine care in Barcelona

Aspect	Public system (CatSalut)	Private care with a fetal medicine specialist
Who follows you	Mainly midwives, with obstetricians for scans and higher-risk cases	The same specialist at every visit
Routine ultrasounds	Three, one per trimester	The scans your pregnancy needs, all performed by the specialist
Language	Usually Spanish or Catalan	English, Spanish or Catalan, with interpreters for Russian and Arabic
Choice of doctor	Assigned by your area	You choose
Cost	Free with a TSI card	Paid per visit, often claimable through your health insurance

The table summarises the practical differences between the two routes.

The next question most women ask is what private pregnancy follow-up actually includes, visit by visit.

What does private pregnancy follow-up include?

Private pregnancy care can begin with a preconception consultation and continue throughout pregnancy with an English speaking gynecologist Barcelona families rely on for continuity. In Dr. Pérez Cruz’s practice, each follow-up visit combines a clinical consultation with an ultrasound examination and includes a written report.

The first-trimester assessment, usually performed between weeks 11 and 13, can include an early review of fetal anatomy and an assessment of the risk of preeclampsia. Ideally, it should come before non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). The scan confirms the dating, the number of babies and the early anatomy, and helps us decide whether NIPT is the right test for you or whether another approach is more appropriate.

An early anatomy scan can be performed around weeks 15 to 18 when appropriate, followed by the full anatomy scan between weeks 20 and 22.

If an ultrasound finding needs more detailed assessment, the examination can be extended with fetal neurosonography to study the brain or fetal echocardiography to assess the heart. When an invasive diagnostic test is clinically indicated, options such as chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis can also be discussed.

Pregnancies conceived through IVF or other fertility treatments are also a regular part of the practice.

Why does fetal medicine experience matter even when the pregnancy is progressing normally?

Fetal Medicine is not only relevant when a problem has already been identified. Daily experience with complex fetal conditions also helps a specialist recognise normal development and decide when an image requires further investigation.

Dr. Pérez Cruz performs approximately 70 fetal echocardiograms, 60 neurosonographies, 20 amniocenteses and more than 80 advanced scans and second opinions each month at a referral centre.

This continuous exposure to both normal and complex cases is particularly useful when an ultrasound finding is subtle, when previous reports are unclear or when an international patient arrives in Barcelona with medical records from another healthcare system.

How does reimbursement with international health insurance work?

Dr. Pérez Cruz’s consultations at Centro Médico Teknon are private. The patient pays for the visit and receives the documentation needed to request reimbursement from her insurer when the policy includes this type of cover.

Before booking, check the maternity section of your policy carefully. Coverage varies significantly between insurers and plans. Some policies include waiting periods, limits, exclusions or pre-authorisation requirements for specialised scans and invasive procedures.

Ask your insurer specifically whether outpatient obstetric consultations, pregnancy ultrasounds, fetal medicine examinations and procedures such as amniocentesis are reimbursable, what percentage is covered and which documents must be submitted.

Keep the invoice, medical report and proof of payment for each visit. If you already know that your insurer requires a particular form or pre-authorisation, bring that information with you.

Because insurance conditions differ between policies and countries, reimbursement should always be confirmed directly with your insurer rather than assumed from the type of plan alone.

Why is Barcelona an important centre for Fetal Medicine?

Barcelona has a strong clinical and academic tradition in fetal and perinatal medicine, which is one reason many patients look for an English speaking gynecologist Barcelona can offer at this level of specialisation. BCNatal brings together the fetal and maternal medicine expertise of Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and acts as a referral environment for complex pregnancies, training and research.

Dr. Míriam Pérez Cruz has worked in this specialist environment for more than 15 years. Her work includes fetal neurosonography, fetal echocardiography and the assessment of complex fetal conditions.

She also teaches fetal neurosonography and ecocardiography in international training programmes and co-directs the International Postgraduate Course in Fetal Neurology. Her clinical and academic activity means that international patients are seen by a specialist whose daily practice is closely connected with advanced fetal diagnosis.

How do I find the right English speaking gynecologist Barcelona has to offer?

Choosing the right English speaking gynecologist Barcelona has to offer starts with more than language. If you are choosing a doctor for pregnancy follow-up, ask who will perform your ultrasounds, whether the doctor has specific training in Fetal Medicine and prenatal diagnosis, and what happens if a scan shows something that needs further assessment.

It is also useful to know whether you will receive a written medical report. This can be particularly important if you need to submit documentation to an insurer, continue part of your care in the public system or move to another country before delivery.

For international patients, continuity and clarity matter as much as speaking the same language: you should understand what has been examined, what the result means and what the next step is, if any.

Watch Dr. Míriam Pérez Cruz, the English speaking gynecologist Barcelona international patients choose, introduce herself:

Frequently asked questions about private pregnancy care in Barcelona

Can I see a private specialist if my pregnancy is followed in the public system?

Yes. Public and private follow-up can be combined. You can have specific scans or a second opinion privately and continue the rest of your pregnancy care within the public system. A written report can be taken back to your usual healthcare team.

Do I need a referral to book an appointment?

No. You can book directly with an English speaking gynecologist Barcelona patients from abroad often choose for continuity of care. If another gynecologist is following your pregnancy, you can bring your previous reports and the new assessment can be shared with your usual doctor when appropriate.

Does the European Health Insurance Card cover private visits?

No. The European Health Insurance Card is intended for eligible care provided through the public healthcare system during a temporary stay. Private consultations are paid separately and may only be reimbursed if you have private or international insurance that includes them.

When should I book my first visit?

You can contact the practice early in pregnancy so that the first-trimester assessment can be scheduled within the appropriate gestational window. If you arrive in Barcelona later, follow-up can also begin in the second or third trimester.

In which languages are consultations held?

Consultations are available in English, Spanish and Catalan. Professional medical interpreters can be arranged for other languages, including Russian and Arabic.

Can I start private care later in pregnancy?

Yes. If your pregnancy has already been followed elsewhere, bring your previous ultrasound reports, test results and relevant medical records so they can be reviewed at the first appointment.

Book private pregnancy care in Barcelona

If you are looking for an English speaking gynecologist Barcelona families trust, and would like your follow-up or key ultrasound examinations to be carried out in English by a Fetal Medicine specialist, you can book an appointment with Dr. Míriam Pérez Cruz at Centro Médico Teknon.

Bring any previous pregnancy reports, ultrasound results and relevant medical information to your first visit. If you intend to request reimbursement from an insurer, it is also useful to check your policy requirements beforehand.

Dra. Míriam Pérez Cruz, MD, PhD. Fetal Medicine specialist with more than 15 years of experience at BCNatal, the referral centre of Hospital Sant Joan de Déu de Barcelona and Hospital Clínic.
Co-director of the International Postgraduate Course in Fetal Neurology.
Private practice at Centro Médico Teknon, Barcelona.
ORCID: 0000-0002-5132-0050