Antenatal care has been offered by national programmes in Austria since the 1970s. Subsequently, the number of examinations has (been) increased continuously. However, medical progress requires constant adaptation of the programme.

The report aims at an international comparison of antenatal care, which is organised very heterogeneously in different countries. Type and number of examinations are only partly evidence based. One specific examination in Austria – the internal examination – is not offered elsewhere and such a programme is also not addressed in evaluations of antenatal programmes. Hence, the additional benefit from this examination is unknown.

Further research is required to evaluate the outcome of antenatal care programmes in Austria.