Will my parent’s insurance cover my pregnancy?

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If you’re pregnant and covered under your parent’s health insurance plan, your pregnancy and childbirth are usually covered. But it’s always smart to check with the insurance company to see if you should know any limitations or specific rules.

Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), you can stay on a parent’s plan until you turn 26, even if you’re married, living on your own or working. That’s helped a lot of young adults get the coverage they need.

While the ACA made a lot of improvements, some health plans don’t fully cover maternity care for dependents. So even if you’re on your parent’s plan, certain services might not be included.

To avoid gaps in coverage, your dependent child may need to explore other options for both their pregnancy care and the baby’s insurance — such as applying for Medicaid, CHIP, or an ACA Marketplace plan.

Will my parent’s insurance cover my newborn?

While your parent’s health insurance plan will typically cover your prenatal care, doctor visits, lab work, and delivery, it won’t extend coverage to your newborn after birth. That means your baby won’t be covered for hospital care, well-baby visits, or vaccinations unless you take steps to enroll them in their own health insurance plan. Options may include Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or a policy you purchase through the ACA Marketplace.

Make sure to look into those options ahead of time so your baby has coverage from day one.

Do individual health plans cover pregnancy and maternity care services?

All individual and small-group health insurance plans must cover pregnancy and maternity care, as required under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This coverage is part of the ACA’s 10 essential health benefits and applies to plans purchased through the Health Insurance Marketplace, as well as many employer-sponsored plans in the small-group market.

Maternity and newborn care typically includes services such as:

Prenatal visits and routine check-ups
Screenings for gestational diabetes and other conditions
Labor and delivery
Postnatal care
Breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling

In addition, the ACA requires that many preventive care services be covered at no out-of-pocket cost — meaning no deductible, copay, or coinsurance when you use an in-network provider. This includes things like:

Folic acid supplements for women who may become pregnant
Tobacco cessation programs
Breastfeeding consultations and equipment
Anemia screenings and Rh incompatibility tests

Importantly, under federal law, you cannot be denied coverage or charged more for being pregnant. Pregnancy is no longer considered a pre-existing condition, and insurers are not allowed to impose higher premiums or exclude maternity care from new plans.

Does employer health insurance cover maternity care for dependent children?

Employer-sponsored health insurance must cover pregnancy-related care for employees and their spouses, as required by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. However, this requirement does not extend to dependent children. That means if your adult child — like a 25-year-old daughter — is on your plan and becomes pregnant, her maternity care may not be covered, depending on your employer’s policy.

Maternity care for dependent children is sometimes covered under employer-sponsored plans, but it’s not required by federal law, so it depends entirely on the specific plan.

Here’s how it works:

Large employer-sponsored plans (50+ employees) are required to cover pregnancy-related care for employees and their spouses but not for dependent children.
However, some employers voluntarily choose to extend maternity coverage to dependent children, so it’s possible—but not guaranteed.
This means a 25-year-old daughter on a parent’s plan might have maternity coverage, but only if the plan explicitly includes it.

What to do:

If you’re unsure, the best approach is to:

Review the plan documents or Summary of Benefits and Coverage (SBC)
Call the insurance company or HR department to confirm whether dependent maternity care is included

Newborns aren’t automatically covered under a parent’s health insurance plan. Unless the baby’s legal guardian is the policyholder, the newborn won’t be eligible for coverage under that plan.

How to get health coverage for a newborn

To avoid any gaps in care for your newborn, it’s important to explore other insurance options ahead of time. Here are a few ways to make sure a newborn has coverage starting from birth:

ACA Marketplace Plan: You can apply for an individual health plan through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace. These plans include maternity coverage and you may qualify for income-based subsidies to help lower your costs.
Medicaid or CHIP: If you meet your state’s income and eligibility requirements, you may be able to enroll in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), both of which cover pregnancy and newborn care.
Catastrophic health insurance: Catastrophic health insurance plans are available to people under 30. They offer low premiums and comprehensive coverage. However, they have high out-of-pocket costs.
Short-term health insurance: These low-cost plans are an option, but read the fine print. Some short-term plans don’t cover maternity services.
Special Enrollment Period (SEP): If you have a newborn, you are eligible for the special enrollment period and can enroll in a Marketplace health plan even if it’s outside the open enrollment period. When you enroll in the new plan, your coverage will start the day the baby is born. Keep in mind that maternity services are not covered.

Having a baby is costly, so ensure you have the health insurance coverage you need during your pregnancy — and make sure your newborn is covered from day one.

Frequently asked questions

Is pregnancy considered a pre-existing condition?

Pregnancy is not considered a pre-existing condition. Under the Affordable Care Act, health insurers are prohibited from denying coverage or charging higher premiums based on pregnancy. It applies to all ACA-compliant plans, including employer-sponsored and Marketplace coverage.

Pregnancy itself does not trigger a Special Enrollment Period, but giving birth does. If you’re already pregnant and outside of open enrollment, you may have to wait until you qualify for a SEP or explore other options like Medicaid.

Will my insurance cover my daughter’s pregnancy?

Health insurance plans only cover pregnancy if the person is enrolled as a dependent. If they’re not listed on the policy, the plan isn’t required to cover their maternity care — meaning they’ll need to get their own health insurance to ensure they’re protected during pregnancy.

Does insurance cover ultrasounds during pregnancy?

Most health insurance plans cover at least one fetal ultrasound as part of routine prenatal care. However, plans with limited coverage may only cover one scan — or require medical necessity for additional ultrasounds.

How can I apply for health insurance for an unborn baby?

Most health insurance plans cover pregnancy and childbirth, but coverage doesn’t automatically extend to your newborn. After your baby is born, you’ll need to contact your employer, insurance provider, or state marketplace right away to add your child to your health plan — typically within 30 days.

Depending on your household income, your baby may also qualify for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), even if you have employer-sponsored coverage.

Sources:

Kaiser Family Foundation. “I’m covered as a dependent under my parent’s plan and I’m pregnant. Will my parent’s plan cover my prenatal care and delivery? Will my parent’s plan cover my baby after he’s born? ” Accessed June 2025.

National Women’s Law Center. “Covered Through a Parent’s Plan? Your Prenatal Services are Covered “ Accessed June 2025.

– Les Masterson contributed to this article

Shivani Gite

Contributing Writer

Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy to understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions.