How Your Expected Delivery Date Affects Your SSS Qualifying Period 2026
Your expected delivery date is not just a due date. For SSS maternity benefits, it decides your semester of contingency, which months are excluded, and which 12 months can be used to check your qualifying contributions.
Quick answer
Your EDD determines your quarter of childbirth. SSS excludes the semester of contingency, then checks the 12 months before that semester. You need at least 3 posted monthly contributions inside that 12-month qualifying period.
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Quick answer: your EDD controls the qualifying period
For SSS maternity benefits, your expected delivery date helps identify the quarter of childbirth. SSS then gets the semester of contingency, excludes that semester, and checks the 12 months immediately before the semester.
To qualify, you need at least 3 monthly contributions within that 12-month qualifying period. Contributions inside the semester of contingency are not counted for eligibility or computation.
2026 EDD to SSS qualifying period table
Use this table to quickly find the qualifying period based on the expected delivery month in 2026. The actual date inside the month usually follows the same quarter rule, because SSS uses quarters when identifying the semester of contingency.
| EDD month | Semester of contingency | Qualifying period to check |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Oct 2025 to Mar 2026 | Oct 2024 to Sep 2025 |
| February 2026 | Oct 2025 to Mar 2026 | Oct 2024 to Sep 2025 |
| March 2026 | Oct 2025 to Mar 2026 | Oct 2024 to Sep 2025 |
| April 2026 | Jan 2026 to Jun 2026 | Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 |
| May 2026 | Jan 2026 to Jun 2026 | Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 |
| June 2026 | Jan 2026 to Jun 2026 | Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 |
| July 2026 | Apr 2026 to Sep 2026 | Apr 2025 to Mar 2026 |
| August 2026 | Apr 2026 to Sep 2026 | Apr 2025 to Mar 2026 |
| September 2026 | Apr 2026 to Sep 2026 | Apr 2025 to Mar 2026 |
| October 2026 | Jul 2026 to Dec 2026 | Jul 2025 to Jun 2026 |
| November 2026 | Jul 2026 to Dec 2026 | Jul 2025 to Jun 2026 |
| December 2026 | Jul 2026 to Dec 2026 | Jul 2025 to Jun 2026 |
How to find your SSS maternity qualifying period from your EDD
Find the quarter of your expected delivery date
January to March is Q1, April to June is Q2, July to September is Q3, and October to December is Q4.
Identify the semester of contingency
The semester of contingency is two consecutive quarters ending in the quarter of childbirth, miscarriage, or emergency termination of pregnancy.
Exclude that semester
SSS does not count contributions paid within or after the semester of contingency for maternity benefit eligibility or computation.
Count 12 months backward
The 12 months before the excluded semester are your qualifying period. You need at least 3 posted monthly contributions inside that period.
Late payment warning: not all late contributions will help
Many members try to fix eligibility by paying contributions after they already know the EDD. This can help only if the payment is still allowed and the contribution month is inside the correct qualifying period.
If the payment date is already within or after the semester of contingency, that contribution generally will not be considered for the SSS maternity benefit eligibility or computation.
Examples by EDD month
These examples show why the EDD month matters so much. The contribution months that count can change when your EDD moves to another quarter.
EDD: March 2026
Semester: Oct 2025 to Mar 2026
Qualifying period: Oct 2024 to Sep 2025
EDD: July 2026
Semester: Apr 2026 to Sep 2026
Qualifying period: Apr 2025 to Mar 2026
EDD: December 2026
Semester: Jul 2026 to Dec 2026
Qualifying period: Jul 2025 to Jun 2026
Employee vs voluntary, self-employed, OFW, or non-working spouse
The qualifying-period rule is the same idea for all member types: SSS checks the 12-month period before the semester of contingency. The difference is often in notification, contribution payment timing, and who files the claim.
If employed
Tell your employer about your pregnancy and expected delivery date, then check if your employer has transmitted the maternity notification correctly.
If voluntary, SE, OFW, or NWS
You usually notify SSS directly through My.SSS, the SSS Mobile App, or other official channels and must be extra careful with contribution deadlines.
Best next step: use the calculator after finding your qualifying period
Once you know the correct qualifying period, the next question is whether you have at least 3 qualifying contributions and how much your benefit may be based on your highest MSCs inside the 12-month window.
Need backup funds while preparing for childbirth expenses?
Your SSS maternity benefit may help, but it may not cover all hospital, baby, and recovery expenses. A credit card can be a backup option if used responsibly.