Frequently asked questions

It all starts with the registration form on the Eligibility & Fees page. A midwife will then get back to you, within two weeks at most, to get to know you and plan the next steps.

Whenever you like, even very early in your pregnancy, but we advise registering from 12 weeks. To ensure complete and safe care, it must begin before 34 weeks: the earlier you register, the better your chances of getting a place.

The number of new women we take on each month is limited, so that we can offer the best possible care and the team can remain fully available. Depending on your due date, the team will quickly confirm whether there is still a place. If in doubt, register: you will know within two weeks at most.

Yes, of course! Mothers-to-be living in neighbouring France are welcome, provided they have Swiss health insurance (LAMal) or private insurance. Unfortunately, our services cannot be covered by the French Sécurité sociale.

Any healthy woman whose single pregnancy is progressing normally (what is known as a low-risk pregnancy). First baby or not: about half of the women at the birth centre are giving birth for the first time.

A twin pregnancy, or an illness or complication that requires close medical monitoring. The full list of criteria is on the Eligibility & Fees page, and the midwife in charge of admissions goes through them with you.

Your care is reassessed at every antenatal appointment. If something changes for the worse, your midwife arranges a handover to other medical care, working with your gynaecologist or the maternity unit. You are never left without a solution.

Labour unfolds at your own pace, without routine medical interventions, with a midwife present and available from start to finish.

No, an epidural is not possible in a birth centre. Your appointments, meeting the midwives and antenatal classes help you prepare for a natural birth. And if you change your mind on the day, a transfer to the HUG maternity unit is possible at any time.

Massage, changing position, walking, a bath, music, aromatherapy, homeopathy or acupuncture: your midwife helps you find what brings relief as labour progresses.

Yes, of course! 60% of births take place in water. Using the pool is discussed with your named midwife and/or the midwife present on the day, depending on how labour is going.

The midwives are trained in emergencies and first aid. Depending on the urgency, a transfer to the HUG maternity unit is arranged. Your midwife always goes with you to the maternity unit and hands your file over to the hospital team.

Of course. The birth centre welcomes everyone you would like around you on the day of the birth. Your partner then stays with you for the two nights of your stay.

No birth is ever risk-free, wherever it takes place. Safety at La Roseraie rests on very strict admission criteria and obstetric protocols, the experience of the midwives and the immediate proximity of the HUG. The birth centre is also on the Geneva hospital list.

A transfer is possible at any time, including during labour. Depending on the situation, it happens on foot, by wheelchair, by car or by ambulance via 144. Your midwife always goes with you and hands over to the HUG team.

300 metres: the HUG maternity unit is just a few minutes from the birth centre. It is one of the great strengths of the place, the intimacy of a house with the university hospital close by.

The birth centre has the equipment and medicines needed to deal with an emergency and cover the time of a transfer. The midwives are regularly trained in using them.

For Swiss residents and cross-border workers insured under LAMal, antenatal and postnatal care, the birth, the stay and all care are fully covered, with no deductible or co-payment.

For residents of other cantons, a request for out-of-canton cover is made in advance. To date, we are not aware of any particular difficulty with this process.

The essentials, yes: pregnancy care, the birth and the postnatal period fall under LAMal. Some complementary services, such as antenatal classes or individual consultations, are partly reimbursed.

A few costs remain yours to pay, such as the unreimbursed share of antenatal classes, some complementary services and your partner’s stay. The details are on the Eligibility & Fees page, with no surprises.

Usually two nights, with your partner. During the stay, the midwife visits regularly to check how your newborn is adapting and how the mother is recovering. A paediatrician examines the baby on the first day of life. Particular attention is given to parents’ questions and to breastfeeding support.

By appointment, preferably between 3 pm and 6 pm, to protect your rest and your first moments as a family. You arrange the visits with your loved ones yourselves and open the door to them when they arrive.

Older siblings are welcome at La Roseraie during your postnatal stay. We have everything needed to welcome them in the best possible conditions and let them share these first moments as a family!

Once you are back home, your named midwife comes to care for you and your baby at home: care, weighing, breastfeeding, answers to your questions. During her holidays, or if you live outside her area, another midwife takes over.