Colombia – Maternity and Giving Birth

What maternity care options are available in Colombia?

Colombia operates a universal healthcare system that requires all residents to register for coverage — for themselves and any dependents — with an approved insurer known as an Entidad Promotora de Salud (EPS). These entities are responsible for contracting with healthcare service providers, known as Instituciones Prestadoras de Salud (IPS), to deliver care. Maternity and paediatric services are included as standard within this framework.

Contributing to a public healthcare plan is a legal obligation for every person residing in Colombia who has the means to do so. This includes foreign nationals holding valid residency status, not solely Colombian citizens. Unlike systems such as the NHS in the United Kingdom — where individuals are automatically covered upon arrival — Colombia’s system requires foreign residents to actively sign up with an EPS before they can access benefits, maternity care included.

The EPS structure is administered by more than 30 insurance companies that organise health plans and ensure care is delivered without cost at the point of service. Funding comes from the mandatory health insurance contributions that all legal residents — Colombians and expats alike — are required to make. Think of the EPS network as a collective of insurers underpinning a system designed to be free at the time of treatment.

Foreign nationals seeking to join the public system generally need a valid visa, a Colombian foreigner identification card (cédula de extranjería), and must then formally register with an EPS. Subsidised care exists for low-income or homeless Colombian citizens, but this is not extended to expatriates. Expats who have not yet gained access to the public system, or who simply prefer a higher standard of personalised service, typically take out private health insurance instead.

Antenatal care through either the EPS or a private insurer usually encompasses regular check-ups with an obstetrician or general practitioner, laboratory blood work, and ultrasound examinations. Private plans often include monthly OB-GYN appointments and 3D ultrasound scans, sometimes with no co-payment depending on the level of cover selected. Births in Colombia almost exclusively take place in hospital settings. While home births and dedicated birthing centres do exist in certain cities, these represent a small minority of deliveries and are not uniformly regulated. The majority of expats opt for a private clinic or hospital.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has been working actively alongside Colombian authorities to strengthen maternal health networks across the country, including training community-level perinatal care facilitators — an initiative aimed particularly at improving outcomes in rural and geographically isolated communities where access to specialist services has traditionally been limited.

How much does it cost to give birth in Colombia?

The financial outlay for giving birth in Colombia varies considerably depending on whether you use the public EPS system or opt for private insurance or direct payment. The country has a well-established reputation throughout Latin America for combining high-quality maternity care with remarkably accessible pricing, and insured patients can face surprisingly modest out-of-pocket expenses.

Within the contributory EPS system, maternity care and hospital delivery are incorporated into your standard health coverage. Monthly contributions are calculated as 12.5 percent of the 40 percent of gross monthly income that you declare to your EPS. For those in formal employment, this contribution is divided between the employee and employer. Once properly enrolled, antenatal appointments, scans, the delivery itself, and postnatal follow-up are all provided at minimal or no additional charge at the point of use.

Expats covered by private insurance benefit from costs that are substantially lower than in most comparable countries. As of 2024, private international health insurance premiums in Colombia for a 33-year-old were around $1,283 per year with a zero deductible. One insured patient delivering by planned C-section at a private hospital in Medellín in 2024 paid just $123.06 out of pocket — a figure that covered a private room, a specialist iron IV infusion, and parking, while the operating theatre, medications, recovery room, and both pre- and postnatal care were entirely met by insurance.

For those without any health coverage, out-of-pocket costs for a private hospital birth will be noticeably higher, though they remain comparatively modest by international standards. Fees differ widely between cities, hospitals, and delivery types — contact providers directly for up-to-date figures. Some expats also choose to engage a bilingual doula: as of 2024, a bilingual doula in Medellín charged approximately $902, a fee encompassing six months of prenatal sessions, birth support, and postpartum home visits.

Anyone considering international health insurance to fund maternity care in Colombia should be aware that most such policies impose a waiting period — typically 10 to 12 months — before maternity benefits come into effect. This means that if you are already expecting or anticipate becoming pregnant in the near term, you should scrutinise your policy thoroughly and take out cover as early as possible. Always seek written confirmation from your insurer regarding what is covered and whether any waiting periods apply before counting on the policy for pregnancy-related expenses.

What is the standard of maternity and neonatal care in Colombia?

Colombia’s healthcare system is ranked 22nd in the world by the World Health Organization — a placing that puts it ahead of the United States, Canada, and every other nation in Latin America. In practical terms, this means expatriates in Colombia’s major cities can expect maternity units and neonatal facilities that hold up well against those found in many high-income countries.

Medellín stands out in particular for its exceptional medical infrastructure, with nine of Latin America’s most highly regarded hospitals located within the city. Bogotá, Cali, Cartagena, and Barranquilla each support strong networks of private hospitals with dedicated obstetric and neonatal departments. Facilities such as the Fundación Valle del Lili in Cali enjoy international recognition for clinical excellence.

Quality of care tends to be uneven in rural and remote parts of the country, but for the large majority of expats who live in major urban centres, the standard is consistently high. The deaths of more than 60 women from the rural Cauca region from preventable maternal causes over four years have prompted hospitals to launch initiatives aimed at extending higher-quality care to underserved communities. If you are living away from a major city, research the nearest fully equipped maternity hospital in advance and factor in travel arrangements should you need to deliver there.

Private hospitals and clinics typically offer a markedly different environment compared to public facilities: private rooms, reduced waiting times, more attentive personalised care, and frequently English-speaking clinical staff. Expats in Colombia regularly report positive experiences with bilingual doctors in private settings. In the public system, Spanish is the working language, so if your fluency is limited it is strongly advisable to bring a trusted Spanish speaker, a professional interpreter, or a bilingual doula to consultations and during labour. Hiring a bilingual doula has become a well-established strategy among expats for navigating the language barrier at this critical time.

Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are available at major hospitals in the principal cities. If your pregnancy is considered high-risk or premature birth is a possibility, verify before your due date that your chosen hospital has the appropriate level of neonatal support. Your obstetrician will be best placed to advise on the most suitable facility given your individual circumstances.

What should expats know about maternity rights and leave in Colombia?

Colombian law entitles employed mothers to 18 weeks of fully paid maternity leave, of which one week must be taken before delivery. Throughout the entire 18-week period, a mother receives her full regular salary. Crucially, this payment is met by the Social Security system (EPS) rather than coming directly out of the employer’s budget.

Should a baby arrive prematurely, the maternity leave entitlement can be extended to account for the early birth. In the case of multiple births, an additional two weeks is added to the leave period. An employee who suffers a miscarriage is entitled to two to four weeks of paid leave. During the first six months following birth, employers are also required to grant two paid breastfeeding breaks per day, each lasting 30 minutes.

Paternity leave in Colombia has been extended to two weeks under Law 2114 of 2021, up from the previous eight-day entitlement. New fathers receive 100 percent of their salary during this period. There is also a provision for this allowance to grow incrementally — by one week at a time, up to a maximum of five weeks — contingent on changes in Colombia’s structural unemployment rate.

Colombian law also provides for a shared parental leave arrangement, through which parents may, by mutual agreement, transfer the final six weeks of maternity leave to the father. This transferred leave can be taken as a single block or spread over a period of half-time working. The mother must take at least the first 12 weeks following delivery without transfer, as these are non-transferable. The division of the remaining six weeks must be agreed jointly by both parents and requires written authorisation from the treating physician.

These statutory entitlements apply to all formally employed workers in Colombia, including foreign nationals working under a valid visa and employment contract with EPS contributions in place. To qualify, a mother must have been affiliated with the Social Security system (EPS) and made contributions for at least the minimum required period — generally at least four weeks prior to the expected delivery date.

The rules work differently for self-employed or independently contracted workers. Maternity leave payments for independent workers, and paternity leave payments for independent fathers, cannot fall below one monthly minimum wage. Independent workers must have an adequate EPS contribution history to be eligible. If your work situation is freelance or contract-based, consult the Colombian Ministry of Labour (mintrabajo.gov.co) and your EPS provider directly to establish what applies to your specific circumstances.

How do you register a birth in Colombia?

Every birth in Colombia must be formally recorded with the Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil (National Civil Registry), the country’s official authority for civil registration. The process is free of charge and results in a Registro Civil de Nacimiento (birth registration certificate), the foundational document that establishes a child’s legal identity within Colombia.

1. Obtain the hospital’s live birth certificate: As soon as the birth takes place, the delivering hospital or clinic will produce a medical certificate of live birth (Certificado de Nacido Vivo). This document is the starting point for the entire registration process. Make sure to collect it before you are discharged.
2. Go to a Registraduría office or notary: Registration takes place at any branch of the Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil. A number of hospitals have a dedicated Registraduría desk on the premises specifically for newborn registration, making it possible to complete the process before leaving the facility. Registration can also be carried out at a local notary public (Notaría).
3. Submit the required documents: You will generally need to present: the hospital’s live birth certificate; valid identity documents for both parents (passports for foreign nationals, or a cédula for those with Colombian residency); and where required, proof of the parents’ marital status such as a marriage certificate. Requirements may differ in specific circumstances — verify the current list of required documents with the Registraduría at registraduria.gov.co.
4. Complete the registration form: Registry or notary staff will guide you through completing the official registration form, which captures the child’s name, date and place of birth, and details of both parents.
5. Receive the Registro Civil de Nacimiento: Upon completion, you will be issued the official birth registration certificate. This is the document you will need for all subsequent legal steps, including applying for a Colombian passport where relevant.
6. Register with your home country’s embassy or consulate: As an expat parent, you must also notify your country of origin’s embassy or consulate in Colombia of the birth. This is the mechanism by which your home country officially records an overseas birth and issues any applicable citizenship documentation. Reach out to your embassy well before your due date, as requirements, fees, and processing timelines vary considerably by country.
7. Apply for your child’s passports: Once birth registration in Colombia and any required registration with your home country are complete, you can proceed with passport applications for your child. Most countries require the birth registration certificate, parental passports, and relevant application forms as a minimum. Processing times vary — your home country’s embassy or consulate will be able to provide current guidance.

Registration should be completed as promptly as possible after birth. Check the current deadline directly with the Registraduría, as rules may change. Registration through the Registraduría is free; notaries may apply a small administrative charge — confirm fees directly with the office. The Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil’s official website is registraduria.gov.co.

What nationality will my child have if born in Colombia?

Colombia’s nationality framework draws on both jus soli (the principle that citizenship is conferred by place of birth) and jus sanguinis (the principle that citizenship derives from parental lineage). As a general rule, a child born on Colombian soil is entitled to Colombian nationality from birth — meaning that children of foreign parents born in Colombia can claim Colombian citizenship. This is a significant factor for many expat families to consider.

That said, the rules contain meaningful nuances. Children born in Colombia to two foreign parents who are present in the country only on a temporary basis — for instance as tourists or on short-stay visas — may be subject to different conditions. Colombia’s nationality law is grounded in the Political Constitution of Colombia and associated legislation. The Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil (registraduria.gov.co) handles birth registrations and the associated nationality paperwork.

Beyond any potential Colombian nationality, your child may equally be entitled to citizenship from one or both parents’ countries of origin under jus sanguinis principles. Many countries permit parents to register a child born abroad and pass on nationality, provided the parents themselves meet certain conditions — such as having acquired citizenship by birth rather than through naturalisation. The precise rules and procedures differ substantially between countries.

To determine your child’s full entitlements, you should take the following steps: register the birth with the Registraduría to obtain the Colombian Registro Civil de Nacimiento; contact your home country’s embassy or consulate in Colombia to register the birth and clarify what nationality documentation your child can obtain; and seek guidance from a qualified legal adviser with expertise in both Colombian nationality law and the nationality law of your home country if any aspect is unclear. Nationality questions are legally consequential and often complex — general guidance should not be your only source when making these decisions.

What are the laws and attitudes around abortion in Colombia?

Colombia has one of the more progressive abortion legal frameworks in Latin America, following a watershed Constitutional Court ruling in February 2022. As of 2025, abortion is fully decriminalised and legally available up to 24 weeks of gestation. Beyond the 24-week threshold, access remains legally protected on defined grounds, including a serious risk to the life or health of the pregnant person, fetal conditions incompatible with survival outside the womb, and pregnancy resulting from rape or other non-consensual acts. This puts Colombia’s framework in a notably more permissive category than most of its regional neighbours, and its gestational limit is comparable to that of several European countries.

Before the 2022 ruling, Colombian law had permitted abortion since 2006 only under three specific circumstances — threat to the life or health of the pregnant person, fetal abnormality, or pregnancy arising from rape — with no gestational limit attached to those grounds. The Constitutional Court’s 2022 decision introduced an unrestricted 24-week window in addition to the pre-existing exceptions, marking a substantial shift in the country’s legal landscape.

Within the public EPS system, abortion services are expected to be available as part of the essential health benefit plan. In practice, access is not always consistent: individual providers or healthcare workers may invoke conscientious objection, which is legally permitted in Colombia but may not be used to withhold urgent or medically necessary care. Private clinics also offer termination services. Through the public EPS system, costs should be covered; fees at private providers vary — consult the Colombian Ministry of Health and Social Protection (minsalud.gov.co) directly for current guidance on access, rights, and costs, as of 2025.

If you require this service and are experiencing difficulties accessing it, organisations such as La Mesa por la Vida y la Salud de las Mujeres offer information and advocacy support within Colombia. For the most up-to-date guidance on access, rights, and procedures, consult the Ministry of Health and Social Protection or a reputable sexual and reproductive health provider.

Frequently asked questions: having a baby in Colombia as an expat

Can I use Colombia’s public healthcare system for maternity care as a foreigner?

Contributing to Colombia’s public healthcare plan is a legal requirement for all residents who are able to do so, including foreign nationals with legal residency. Once you hold a valid visa and your cédula de extranjería (foreigner identification card), you may enrol with an EPS and access maternity services. Those present as tourists or without legal residency are excluded from the contributory public system and must rely on private care.

How do I enrol in Colombia’s health insurance system as an expat?

After arriving in Colombia on your visa, visit an immigration office to formally register your visa and apply for your cédula (identification card), which involves providing a photograph and fingerprints. The cédula functions as your health insurance identity document — once you have it, you can proceed to enrol with the EPS of your choice. Those in formal employment are normally enrolled through their employer as part of the onboarding process.

Is it safe to give birth in a Colombian private hospital?

Colombia offers high-quality, affordable, and readily accessible healthcare in its major cities, through both public and private channels. Leading private hospitals in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and other large urban centres are equipped with modern maternity wards and specialist obstetric and neonatal teams. Many employ staff who speak English. For uncomplicated pregnancies, the standard of care at a reputable private hospital is generally very good.

Will my employer continue to pay my salary during maternity leave in Colombia?

Mothers taking maternity leave are legally entitled to their full regular salary throughout the entire 18-week period. The cost of this payment falls on the Social Security system (EPS), not the employer directly — employers are reimbursed by the EPS, so the financial responsibility does not sit with the company.

Does my baby automatically get Colombian citizenship if born in Colombia?

Colombia operates on a jus soli basis, meaning children born on Colombian territory are generally entitled to Colombian nationality. However, important nuances apply depending on the immigration status of the parents at the time of the birth. It is essential to register the birth with the Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil and to consult both your home country’s embassy and a qualified legal adviser to fully understand your child’s nationality entitlements under both legal systems.

What documents do I need to register my baby’s birth in Colombia?

You will need the live birth certificate issued by the hospital, valid identity documents for both parents (passports for foreign nationals, or a cédula for those with Colombian residency), and in some cases additional paperwork such as a marriage certificate. Registration can be completed at a branch of the Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil or at a notary; many hospitals have an on-site Registraduría desk. Check the current requirements at registraduria.gov.co ahead of your due date.

Do I also need to register my baby’s birth with my home country?

Yes. In addition to registering with the Colombian Registraduría, expat parents should notify their home country’s embassy or consulate in Colombia of the birth. This is how the country of origin officially records the overseas birth, recognises your child’s right to citizenship, and enables you to obtain a passport for the child. Contact your embassy well before your due date, as requirements and processing timelines vary significantly between countries.

Is international health insurance accepted in Colombian private hospitals?

Many of Colombia’s top-tier private hospitals will accept international health insurance, though you should confirm this with both your insurer and the hospital before your due date. The majority of international policies impose a waiting period — commonly 10 to 12 months — before maternity benefits become active. If you are planning a pregnancy after relocating to Colombia, enrol in a suitable policy as soon as possible. Always obtain written confirmation from your insurer detailing exactly what is covered and whether any waiting periods apply.