Maternal and Child Health Handbook

When you learn that you are expecting a child, please submit a Pregnancy Notification Form (Ninshin-todoke) to your health center (Mutual Community Support Division of your local ward office). Upon notification, you will be provided with your Maternal and Child Health Handbook. This handbook provides a way to monitor and manage the health of both mother and child, and keep a record of your pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting.

Please note that you will be required by law to fill in your Individual Number (My Number) on your Pregnancy Notification Form, so please be sure to read the What to Bring section below for details.

Paperwork and Procedures

Fill out the necessary information on the Pregnancy Notification Form at the counter of your health center (local ward office Mutual Community Support Division; Koyo Branch Office); you will then receive your Maternal and Child Health Handbook.

• If you are pregnant with two or more babies, you will receive one handbook per child.
• If you lose your handbook, we can reissue one to you.

Necessary Information for the Pregnancy Notification Form

• Individual Number for the expecting mother
• Address
• Name
• Date of birth
• Telephone number
• Employment information
• Due date
• Weeks pregnant
• Previous pregnancies/births
• Name of Ob-Gyn, midwife, or medical institution that confirmed your pregnancy

Handbook Contents

• Health records during your pregnancy and the progress of your pregnancy
• Childbirth records and your progress after giving birth
• Growth and development records for your child
• Vaccination records
• Advice for a healthy pregnancy, childbirth, and child care, including:
  • Precautions to take during your pregnancy
  • Nutrition information for expecting/nursing mothers
  • What to look out for with newborn babies
  • Helpful tips for child care
• Information about systems and programs for maternal and child health
• Supplemental Information Booklet (with vouchers for health check-ups and vaccinations)

Price

Free of charge

What to Bring

If the expecting mother is submitting the Pregnancy Notification:

You will need to bring one of the following:

• Individual Number (My Number) Card (hard plastic card)
• Individual Number (My Number) Notification Card (paper card)*
• Residence Record with your Individual Number listed on it

*Notification cards issued on/after May 25, 2020 (when online applications began) may be used if there are no changes to the name, address (etc) listed on the card, or if you have taken the appropriate procedures to change the information on the card.

As well as

• A form of ID (Individual Number (My Number) Card (hard plastic card), driver’s license, passport, etc)*

*If your form of ID does not include your photo, you must provide us with two forms of ID such as your health insurance card, national pension book, etc.

If submitting by proxy:

• A Proxy Form (stamped with the seal of the expecting mother)
• A form of ID for the proxy (Individual Number (My Number) Card (hard plastic card), driver’s license, passport, etc)*

*If the form of ID does not include the proxy’s photo, proxy must provide us with two forms of ID such as their health insurance card, national pension book, etc.

Form of confirmation of the expecting mother’s Individual Number such as:

• Individual Number (My Number) Card (hard plastic card)
• Individual Number (My Number) Notification Card (paper card)*
• Residence Record with her Individual Number listed on it

*Notification cards issued on/after May 25, 2020 (when online applications began) may be used if there are no changes to the name, address (etc) listed on the card, or if you have taken the appropriate procedures to change the information on the card.

Reception Hours

Monday-Friday from 8:30 am to 5:15 pm (excluding national holidays, New Years holidays, and August 6)

Online Pregnancy Notification Form

Beginning July 2018, you can now submit your Pregnancy Notification Form online using the Mynaportal site (requires the hard plastic Individual Number card). When using this service, be sure to submit your online application at least one week before you plan to visit your health center. Please be sure to fill out the health questionnaire before you visit as we would like to know how you are feeling. You will also have to come and pick up your Maternal and Child Health Handbook at your ward health center at a later date (we cannot send the handbook to you via postal mail).

It will take about 20 minutes to issue your Maternal and Child Health Handbook to you; as there is no appointment system, you may be asked to wait at the counter while we prepare your handbook. We ask for your understanding in this matter and appreciate your cooperation.

Please note that this service is only available in Japanese and to those who have the hard plastic Individual Number card. For details about the process, please see here (Japanese).

Inquiries regarding this page

Mutual Community Support Division of the Public Welfare Department of your local ward office