Insurance doesn't cover prenatal or maternity care...what are my options?

[court3189]

I wouldn't remotely consider having a baby without maternity coverage, but our family has an inside view on how amazingly expensive healthcare costs can be......having had three very different pregnancies I wouldn't dare try to predict outcomes and take financial risks on this basis....

[TwinKristi]

Originally Posted by court3189 I wouldn't remotely consider having a baby without maternity coverage, but our family has an inside view on how amazingly expensive healthcare costs can be......having had three very different pregnancies I wouldn't dare try to predict outcomes and take financial risks on this basis....

Oh so true! In an ideal world we could just birth at home with a couple hundred in birthing medical supplies and be good. But sometimes it's just not that way. My 3rd was an easy pregnancy, monitored by a MW for most of the pregnancy. Quick delivery and easy recovery. But at 10 days PP my world was turned upside down when I went into heart failure after several seizures. It ended up costing half a million easily for my care. 2 days in the ER, 6 days in the ICU, 2 days in a regular room, helicopter flight, 2 ambulance rides, echocardiograms, cardio-catheterization, heart biopsy and numerous other tests, meds and procedures. Every pregnancy since then has been high risk, perinatalogists, multiple u/s, cardiologist visits, echocardiograms, induction, lots of monitoring, etc. No way I could do it without insurance.

[Jedimomma]

While there are plenty of instances that require advanced medical care with a pregnancy, please don't discount the fact that you could do it without that. I don't want to discount any experiences, because you should be prepared for anything like that to happen, but as a general rule, our bodies are made to do this. It is as natural as breastfeeding. I have had 3 babies completely naturally and had no complications thus far. Again, I don't say that to minimalize what *could* happen. But with my personal experience, I know that it can be done without doctors and hospitals. We are very blessed/lucky to live in a time/place when we can do things naturally or have medical care, whichever we personally need. Do the research, talk to anyone you can about it, and get whatever type of care works best for you. Its good to hear the "worst case scenario", but its also good to know that worst case scenario isn't the "norm". I would say if you are so inclined, get a midwife with a good, solid backup plan so that you are covered for the "normal"delivery, but still have good options if things don't go as planned. The "not as planned" may cost you money if that ends up happening, but your life and your baby's life would be worth it if it came to that. And statistically it wouldn't come to that. But preparing for all possibilities is very important.