Fiancéé is pregnant.. what can I do now?

[Ovaltine Jenkins 5]

4000-8000 for a pregnancy is a lot though. It can vary by where you live but it should be like 2-3 thousand. Maybe you could ask around different doctors in your area to see if you can get one that has more reasonable prices

[ANGKANO 1]

Hey there,

Congrats on the "bun in the oven". I have worked in the Emergency Room for 12yrs.I know that all hospitals are willing to discount thier "self-pay" precedures. After all they discount all care rendered to patients with insurance. This discount is prearranged when a hospital contracts with an insurance provider. The standard is 30% off normal charge,so they will be willing to discount your bill in similar fassion.Just wait until you recieve the total itemized bill from the hospital then call the billing office and play a few rounds of "Let's make a deal". They will work with you.Just be persistant.Don't give them the farm.Good luck!!

[Dr. Obvious 49]

4000-8000 for a pregnancy is a lot though. It can vary by where you live but it should be like 2-3 thousand. Maybe you could ask around different doctors in your area to see if you can get one that has more reasonable prices

Well, maybe 2-3k for a normal and uncomplicated vaginal birth only. That wouldn´t include doctor visits, ultrasounds, that kind of thing. I think 4-8k sounds about right for a whole pregnancy.

[Ovaltine Jenkins 5]

2-3k for a pregnancy (that is doctors´s visits etc). Don´t know how much a delivery costs.

[Dr. Obvious 49]

2-3k for a pregnancy (that is doctors´s visits etc). Don´t know how much a delivery costs.

Anywhere from 2k to 30k+. Depends on how complicated the affair is. Not much can bankrupt you faster than an unfortunate pregnancy and post-natal period. Stays in the ICU and NICU aren´t the cheapest things ever, to add insult to injury.

[TracyTN 237]

a). Don't have sex w/o health insurance. Hard to get pregnant when one is not having sex.

Nothing like closing the barn door after the horse has bolted.

Practical, indeed.

[Blues Fairy 0]

Don't mind akdiver; he's a well-known child-hater here - take his advice for what it's worth.

As for practical advice, you may want to check out alternative options such as Certified Midwives who will provide excellent prenatal care and very personalized, often home-based child delivery. If your fiancee is low-risk, this might actually be a better option than a traditional ob-gyn and hospital birth, where they screw up way too many healthy women for my comfort. According to a recent nationwide study of home births vs. hospital births, among the latter there is an 84% higher rate of fetal distress, 74% higher rate of infant resuscitation, 100% higher rate of birth injuries, and a 99.52% higher rate of Cesarean section. I will certainly consider NOT going to the hospital if I can help it.

Many Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) practice in free-standing birth centers which have a lot more relaxed and home-like atmosphere while providing top-notch prenatal and post-natal care. They might also offer sliding scales for the uninsured.

Also, check out this: https://www.maternityadvantage.com/home.asp.

And congratulations!!!

[Dr. Obvious 49]

The reason why there is more a need for intervention in a hospital is that what CNM with half a brain would allow a high risk pregnancy to be homebirthed? Hospitals have higher rates of intervention because they deal with higher rates of risk. Homebirths are normally the lowest of the lowest risk pool.

As for me, I would not risk a homebirth. I don´t feel safer at home because I know that following about me: I had a perfect pregnancy and perfect labor until I didn´t and it all went to hell. Some things just can´t be anticipated or planned for. I would much rather be in the hospital than not. I shudder to think how disastrous a hospital transfer could have been.

One of my favorite blogs is by an OB called http://homebirthdebate.blogspot.com/ . She can be abrasive, but I really believe she absolutely has a point.

Birth centers attached to hospitals are also OK.

If you decide to go with a midwife, make sure you check her credentials very well. No woo drinking direct entry midwives.

Edited May 22, 2008 by Wacken

[ginger1981 0]

Blah blah....practical advice is what it is. If you don't find it useful for solving your problem - then don't implement it - but don't ask for advice and then complain when you get it.

I wouldn't call it advice when you are obviously being an a s s h o l e.

Edited May 22, 2008 by ginger1981