During October 2014 and May 2018, monthly meetings of an interdisciplinary and multiprofessional expert working group for the further development of the mother-child-pass took place in the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection (BMASGK). During a total of 38 meetings, the expert working group formulated (screening) recommendations for pregnancy, puerperium and early childhood (0-6 years). According to the rules of procedure, the following process was applied for each single health threat (risk factor or disease): first, the results of the reports compiled by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Health Technology Assessment (LBI-HTA), in particular the overview of screening recommendations from evidence-based guidelines, were presented to the expert working group. Second, the expert working group discussed and assessed every single health threat using defined criteria (WHO screening criteria) in a moderated discussion. Finally, the group formulated recommendations for or against the inclusion of the screening measure into the new screening programme (mother-child-pass).

For pregnancy, the expert working group made 32 recommendations pro screening and 27 recommendations contra screening. Regarding screening during puerperium, three pro screening recommendations and three contra screening recommendations were given. For early childhood, the expert working group recommended screening for 16 health threats, whereas screening for seven health threats was not recommended.

The present report contains all protocols of the expert working group meetings as well as all formal statements which were submitted during the process. Additionally, the recommendations were thematically structured by screening methods and by time.