New baby hatch opened at Mainz University Medical Center
The state capital of Mainz, Mainz University Medical Center and the Social Service of Catholic Women Mainz (SkF) have set up a new baby hatch connected to the children's hospital. The new facility closes a gap in care that had arisen since the closure of the previous baby hatch in Mainz's Old Town in September 2025.
Clemens Hoch, Minister of Science and Health for the State of Rhineland-Palatinate and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Mainz University Medical Center, Jana Schmöller, Head of the Department of Social Affairs, Children, Youth, and Health for the City of Mainz, and Prof. Dr. Ralf Kiesslich, Chairman of the Executive Board of Mainz University Medical Center, together with Hildegard Eckert and Dr. Andrea Litzenburger, Chairwoman and Board Members of SkF, officially opened the new baby hatch at its new location.
It is located at the rear of the Children’s Hospital at Mainz University Medical Center and is now accessible around the clock. The planning and implementation of the renovation work were overseen by Mainz University Medical Center, while the state capital is covering the costs of renovating the premises using funds from the Mainz Youth and Orphans Foundation. The Catholic Women’s Social Service is once again serving as the sponsoring organization.
“With the new baby hatch, we are creating a place that offers help in times of greatest need and saves lives. It represents a society that takes responsibility when all other avenues are closed. Mainz University Medical Center is uniquely suited for this task thanks to its high level of professional expertise and its infrastructure. The close integration of obstetrics, neonatology, and psychosocial services ensures that the children receive the best possible care and support. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this possible,” Clemens Hoch, Minister of Science and Health of Rhineland-Palatinate and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Mainz University Medical Center
“A baby hatch is far more than a structural measure—it is a silent promise from the urban community to mothers in exceptional situations: No child must be left alone. For Mainz, the new baby hatch means the restoration of an important safety net. This project is a top priority in my department, and that is why we are pleased to have quickly found a viable solution together with Mainz University Medical Center and SkF that offers mothers in extreme emergencies and their children a secure future. “We are providing funding for the renovation quickly and without complications through a municipal foundation,” Jana Schmöller, Department Head for Social Affairs, Children, Youth, and Health of the State Capital of Mainz
“The new baby hatch is connected to the pediatric clinic, which allows us to provide immediate medical care for the baby. At the same time, we have managed to make access to the baby hatch as discreet as possible to offer the women involved protection and anonymity in what may be a desperate situation,” Univ.-Prof. Ralf Kiesslich, Chairman of the Board and Chief Medical Officer at Mainz University Medical Center.
“Even after the introduction of the legal regulation on confidential birth in 2014, four newborns still found protection through our baby hatch. This shows that confidential birth is not an accessible or accepted alternative for all mothers. “Our goal as the operator of the baby hatch is to work with our partners to offer women an anonymous and safe option when they see no other way out,” said Hildegard Eckert, Chairwoman of the Board of the Catholic Women’s Social Service Mainz (SkF).
“After a six-month closure, the SKF Mainz is filled with joy and gratitude over the reopening of the baby hatch in a new format and through new partnerships at the new location. For this, we as the board of SkF Mainz would like to thank our partners in particular today: Social Affairs Commissioner Jana Schmöller for her commitment to continuing the service in Mainz under the auspices of the SkF and for securing broad support for this in the Mainz City Council. “To Prof. Kiesslich, as Chairman of the Board, who from the very beginning responded positively to the SKF’s request to relocate the baby hatch to the hospital and vigorously supported every stage of the implementation,” said Dr. Andrea Litzenburger, Board Member of the SKF.
A safety net for mothers and children in greatest need
Since the first baby hatch, operated by SkF, opened at its former location at the Bruder-Konrad-Stift in 2002, ten children were safely taken into care there by 2025—ten instances of a safe solution for women in distress, ten lives given the chance for a fresh start.
The new location at Mainz University Medical Center offers a decisive advantage: the child left there is in the immediate vicinity of medical expertise. Qualified hospital staff are on standby around the clock; once the delayed alarm is triggered, they can respond quickly to examine the child and provide initial medical care. Thus, the new location combines the highest possible safety for the child with discreet accessibility for the mother who leaves the child there.
Procedure for using the baby hatch
Anyone who places a baby in the baby hatch can be assured of their anonymity and the child’s safety. Upon entering the room, a silent alarm sounds in the adjacent pediatric emergency room; upon leaving the room containing the baby hatch, the outer door locks, and five minutes after the alarm is triggered, a nurse enters the room, giving the mother sufficient time to leave unnoticed. A clearly defined process then takes place:
- The baby is found by qualified medical staff from the University Medical Center Mainz.
- The child immediately receives a medical examination and initial care.
- The case is documented.
- The adoption office of the Department of Youth and Family Affairs of the State Capital of Mainz and the Social Service of Catholic Women in Mainz (SkF) are notified.
- The adoption agency initiates further placement—usually with a foster family willing to provide short-term care.
Mothers in distress can seek help at any time and anonymously. The baby hatch is not a one-way street: Those who come forward later can receive support.
Location and directions
The baby hatch is located at the rear of the Children’s Hospital at Mainz University Medical Center (Building 109, Mainz University Medical Center campus, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz; see attached map).
Directions: Standing in front of the main entrance to the Children’s Hospital, turn right onto Czernyweg. Then take the next left onto Kraeplinweg, walk past Building 211, and immediately turn left again onto the paved path. This path ends directly in front of the baby hatch.
Further assistance: Confidential birth
Confidential childbirth allows pregnant women to remain anonymous by securely collecting their personal data and transferring it to the Federal Office for Family Affairs and Civil Society Functions (BAFzA) for safekeeping. The birth takes place under a chosen pseudonym, and the child later gains access to information about their origins, typically at age 16. After the birth, the Youth Welfare Office takes the child into care and assumes guardianship. The costs of confidential childbirth are covered by the federal government, and the necessary medical services are covered by statutory health insurance.
Help and support for pregnant women
Catholic Women’s Social Service, Inc., Mainz
Mon–Thu 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | Fri 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. – Anonymous if desired
Helpline for pregnant women in need
0800 40 40 020 (anonymous, toll-free, available 24 hours a day)
In case of an
emergency, call 112