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Pregnant in Korea? Your First Steps as a Foreign Woman

Step 1: Take a home pregnancy test

Home urine pregnancy tests (임신테스트기, im-sin-te-seu-teu-gi) are sold at pharmacies and many convenience stores. They are most reliable from around the first day of a missed period. If the result is positive or unclear, or your period is still late, see a doctor. A negative test taken too early can be wrong, so test again after a few days if your period does not start.

Step 2: Confirm the pregnancy at a clinic

An OB-GYN clinic can confirm pregnancy in several ways:

•  Urine test: a quick in-clinic test.
• Blood β-hCG test: measures the pregnancy hormone level. Useful very early or when bleeding occurs.
• Transvaginal ultrasound: can usually show a gestational sac from about 5 weeks of pregnancy. A heartbeat is often seen from about 6 to 7 weeks.

If your first visit is very early, the doctor may ask you to return in 1 to 2 weeks to see the heartbeat. At Eunice Women's Clinic, posted non-covered prices include a urine pregnancy test at 10,000 KRW, a blood β-hCG test at 30,000 KRW, and a first-trimester pregnancy ultrasound at 50,000 KRW (prices may change; confirm with the clinic). Pregnancy ultrasounds can be partly covered by NHIS for eligible members. See pregnancy test and early pregnancy ultrasound.

Step 3: Get a pregnancy confirmation document

After pregnancy is confirmed, the clinic can issue a pregnancy confirmation form (임신확인서, im-sin-hwa-gin-seo). You need it to apply for national pregnancy support. You may also need it for workplace pregnancy protections.

Step 4: Apply for the pregnancy and childbirth voucher

NHIS members in Korea, including eligible foreigners, can receive a pregnancy and childbirth medical expense voucher. It is loaded onto a card commonly called the 국민행복카드 (Gungmin Haengbok Card) and helps pay for pregnancy-related medical costs. The amount, eligible uses, and how to apply change over time. As of 2026, check the current details with NHIS or the card-issuing banks.

What about work and visa matters?

Korean labor law provides protections for pregnant workers, including maternity leave and limits on certain types of work. Rules apply to foreign employees too, but details depend on your contract and visa. If you are on a dependent or work visa, check whether pregnancy or a new baby affects your status or your family members' registration. The Korea Immigration Service and your employer's HR team can advise. Seoul's 120 Dasan Call Center can also help in English.

Step 5: Visit your local public health center

Public health centers (보건소) often provide support for pregnant women, such as registration programs, some free tests, and folic acid or iron supplements. Services vary by district. Bring your residence card and pregnancy confirmation.

Step 6: Choose where to give birth

In Korea, small OB-GYN clinics often provide early pregnancy care, but delivery takes place at a hospital or a women's hospital with delivery facilities. Things to consider:

• Distance from home, especially for night-time travel
• Whether doctors can communicate in your language
• Level of neonatal care available
• Whether you have high-risk factors that need a larger hospital

Eunice Women's Clinic is a primary-care clinic and does not deliver babies. It provides early pregnancy care and refers patients to partner hospitals for delivery and hospital-level care.

What should I do right away for my health?

• Start or continue folic acid if you have not already.
• Stop smoking and alcohol.
• Check every medicine and supplement with a doctor or pharmacist.
• Check your rubella and hepatitis B immunity if you have not been tested.

When should I seek urgent care?

Go to a hospital emergency room, or call 119, if you have heavy bleeding, severe one-sided abdominal pain, shoulder-tip pain, fainting, or dizziness. These can be signs of ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage and need quick care. Light spotting can be common in early pregnancy, but contact a doctor to check.

Early pregnancy care in English

Dr. Eun Mi-na is a member of the Korean Society of Maternal Fetal Medicine and sees patients in English. Eunice Women's Clinic is a 1-minute walk from Seongsu Station Exit 3. Read early pregnancy care and our prenatal care in Korea guide for what comes next.

If the pregnancy is unplanned

You can talk through all options in English. See Abortion in Korea: the law and your options and pregnancy termination (abortion) consultation.

Frequently asked questions

How early can a clinic confirm pregnancy in Korea?

A blood β-hCG test can detect pregnancy very early, often around the time of a missed period. A transvaginal ultrasound can usually show a gestational sac from about 5 weeks. If it is too early to see, the doctor may ask you to return in 1 to 2 weeks.

Can foreigners get the Korean pregnancy voucher?

Foreign residents who are enrolled in NHIS are generally eligible for the pregnancy and childbirth medical expense voucher. You need a pregnancy confirmation form from a clinic. Amounts and application methods change, so check the current rules with NHIS.

Can I give birth at Eunice Women's Clinic?

No. Eunice Women's Clinic is a primary-care clinic and does not deliver babies. It offers pregnancy confirmation and early pregnancy care, and refers patients to partner hospitals for delivery, surgery, or hospital-level care.

What does 임신확인서 mean?

임신확인서 (im-sin-hwa-gin-seo) is a pregnancy confirmation form issued by a clinic after pregnancy is confirmed. You use it to apply for the national pregnancy voucher, and it may be requested by your employer or other organizations.

Related pages

•  Pregnancy Test
• Early Pregnancy Ultrasound
• Early Pregnancy Care
• Prenatal Care in Korea
• Missed Period

This page provides general health information for patients and does not replace a consultation with a doctor. Individual results vary. If you have severe pain, heavy bleeding, fainting or other urgent symptoms, call 119 or go to the nearest emergency room. Page updated September 2026.