Check maternity-insurance enrollment before pregnancy; an unemployed spouse may also receive maternity medical-expense benefits

When an employer has paid maternity-insurance contributions, eligible childbirth medical costs and maternity allowances are funded through maternity insurance. An unemployed spouse can qualify for the medical-expense component. Ask the local authority about qualifying contribution periods and any advance registration for delivery away from the enrollment area.

Zero cost. Just call the social insurance or medical insurance hotline once.

Article 54 of China's Social Insurance Law provides maternity-insurance benefits for employees whose employers have paid contributions. Their unemployed spouses receive maternity medical-expense benefits under national rules, funded by maternity insurance. Benefits distinguish maternity medical expenses from maternity allowances paid during leave. Article 56 lists childbirth leave, leave for family-planning procedures and other legally specified circumstances as allowance-eligible situations. The allowance is calculated using the employer's average monthly employee wage in the preceding year, rather than the individual employee's wage.

Ask the local healthcare-insurance authority two things in advance: whether a minimum continuous contribution period applies and has been met; and whether childbirth outside the enrollment area requires advance registration and how unregistered expenses are reimbursed. These requirements vary locally and were not checked locality by locality; asking beforehand is the author's practice. Section 18, item 2 covers leave and allowance calculations.

全国人大常委会 (2010). 中华人民共和国社会保险法（第五十四、五十六条）. https://guangdong.chinatax.gov.cn/gdsw/qysw_gkwj/2020-02/12/content_8e8c485d0db34b989531f3ba57cec5a9.shtml（国家税务总局广东省税务局转载）