where are u from and what is prenatal health care like there?

Natasha - posted on 08/23/2009

Heya, I'm from Ireland and thankfully all our public pre-natal care is free for everybody and up to 6 weeks after babies birth. It all includes every check-up visit, scan, tests. You only pay if u go private or have a 3-D scan. I'm lucky to say we are well looked after here in Ireland regarding pre-natal care. It should be the same everywhere as there should'nt be a price on the life and health of an unborn baby.

Melissa - posted on 08/23/2009

As mentioned in a previous post, I live in Australia in Canberra and the public Health care is free here (unless you choose private dr's etc as before mentioned) I just wanted to say that i cant complain about the service that i received, i was really looked after while i was in hospital, and because the birth was traumatic i got my own room for the first two nights, then the third night a double room. the help i recieved from the dr's and midwives/nurses was great. I really just wanted to point out that just because our health care is "free" doesnt eqaute to second class.

(on the ward tour we were pointed out that the only differance between public and private birthing suites is private has a spa and a tv- public has a shower, other than that they are identical- and if the ward was quiet there is the option of using the private rooms). If the universal system is run correctly then it can work.



Hey i just want to add- 6 months after giving birth im getting physio treatment at the hospital once a week which is also "free"- covered under medicare :)

Iysha - posted on 08/23/2009

Lindsey Stine- I'm on a healthcare for low income families, and if I didn't have complications with my pregnancy, I would have two ultrasounds. One at the first doctor's visit and one at about 20 weeks. Since I had complications i had like 5. But at every other doctor's visit with the exception of the two ultrasounds, it is just a little microphone they check the baby's heart rate with.

Iysha - posted on 08/23/2009

I really hope Pres. Obama is serious about a Universal Healthcare Plan for all us U.S. citizens. That would be awesome. There are a lot of families that don't qualify for insurances like Medi-Cal but don't make enough to purchase their own insurance and don't have jobs that insure them. It's a major problem.

Iysha - posted on 08/23/2009

I am from California and I would have had to pay for my prenatal health care because I'm not covered for it through my job's insurance or my father's insurance. I am covered for other health visits to the doctor under my father's insurance if I continue to be a full time student until I'm 23. Luckily, I got onto Medi-Cal which is a medical insurance for low income families. I didn't have to pay for anything. Thank God too, I was in the hospital for a total of 10 days before actually giving birth... Hospitals are way expensive and charge you for every little thing. You are very fortunate for having free healthcare. It was a pain trying to figure out how I was going to pay for everything. I have a bill for one prenatal visit before I was approved for Medi-Cal that is over $500. Narly isn't it?!

Etta - posted on 08/23/2009

I live in the US, on the west coast. I can see the appeal of "free" health care. But really, nothing is free. That kind of health care is paid for in the form of much higher taxes. And what would we get for those higher taxes? We would all be stuck in a system like described by Nubia or Natalie: lots of rules, red tape and no freedom to choose our doctors or hospitals. I'm not saying our system is perfect. Reform is needed, but I don't think our government is equipped to improve health care.

Toni - posted on 08/22/2009

Its interesting how many different situations there are. Im in no means pointing a finger at the US and saying its bad..it just makes you think about why there is so many different created situations for different types of people. Personally, I really do hope that the US moves to a system to be more llike ours, or australia, england, france, just because it makes everything so accessable and you dont have to worry about the financial side when you sohuld be focusing on your health. We all pay 15% taxes here in ontario canada- 7% provincial sales tax, 8% government sales tax. so 15 cents on every dollar. growing up with it , its something your just used to. I could see how maybe if a government suddenly upped taxes in a country it might take some getting used to.. but yeah Personally i think that the so called "socialist" medicine is the way to go overall, then you can get extras and special doctors or whatever if you like. ayways thanks for all the feedback!

Natalie - posted on 08/21/2009

I live In Australia(north QLD) and our health system is free if you go through a public hospital, but if you choose to(or have no option but to) see a GP or a private doctor you will be out of pocket. Although our health system is free it certainly is not the best!! I come from a small town that just had a new hospital built costing the tax payers a couple of million but women are unable to give birth there so we have to go 1 hour south to have our babies - but the catch to that is that they pressure you to spend two weeks down there before your due date up until you have the baby so it could be a total of 4 weeks accommodation you have to pay and the travel cost(some of which is covered). So it is free but by no means perfect - our nursing staff, emergency doctors, paramedics and some doctors at totally brilliant though and do so well with understaffed over filled under budgeted hospitals.

Keela - posted on 08/21/2009

I live in the US in OKlahoma. I was a college student with no income so the state gave me soonercare for free. It covered everything and my daughter has free insurance until shes 8.

Christine - posted on 08/16/2009

It is funny you should ask - with US attempting to go through such huge health care reform right now. I live in USA and I have insurance through my employer. I never paid anything more than $10 per doctor visit.

Melissa - posted on 08/15/2009

Quoting Lindsey:

I live in PA hmmmm healthcare..yeah it for the most part SUCKS butt here...if u don't have insurance...having babies it expensive...with my first i had insurance..still from my parents...since i was still in college...and i stilll have medical bills upwards of 2000 us dollars that wasn't covered....in my area they have a few free health clinics..for pregnant people and low income families..and what not..but they don't do anything "special" you don't get ultrasounds basically all they do is check the heartrate with a doppler which is what i heard...we also have state assistance...which is government healthcare for low income non insured people or disabled which covers anything from prenatal to dentists... but if u make too much money u don't get it..unless u are pregnant..they do tend to give that to people before other people there is a waiting list usually for normal uninsured people...children can always get healthcare in PA whether is CHIP or the medical assistance and there are even places to go where kids can get their shots for 5 dollars...or free if u can't pay that.. so thats a nice plus..but basically...healthcare sucks down here..lol even if u are insured..

Hi Lindsey,

I think that prenatal care is SOO important that its sad to think depending on where you live or what your income is you wont get full health care treament.

I often wonder what the point of insurance is if you still have to pay heaps of out of pocket expenses.? My thought was that if you have insurance and are paying into that monthly yearly etc then that should cover all your expenses.  Lets hope things improve for you guys in the US in the future :)

Melissa - posted on 08/15/2009

Hi, Im from Australia (canberra) and all our health care is free also if you choose the public system, eveything gets bulk billed through medicare this includes all appointments needed- ultrasounds, blood test etc

(if you go private and/or want to choose your own dr then it cost alot- even with insurance you'll still be out of pocket).

Health care comes from our taxes we pay, thats why i think in other countries like the US should have the free health care system (public) also- We all are technically paying for it through taxes.

Unfortunately the way the US system is set up (run basically by greedy insurance/ pharmucutical companies-correct me if im wrong) rather than government doesnt help the lower class so much.

Lindsey - posted on 08/15/2009

I live in PA hmmmm healthcare..yeah it for the most part SUCKS butt here...if u don't have insurance...having babies it expensive...with my first i had insurance..still from my parents...since i was still in college...and i stilll have medical bills upwards of 2000 us dollars that wasn't covered....in my area they have a few free health clinics..for pregnant people and low income families..and what not..but they don't do anything "special" you don't get ultrasounds basically all they do is check the heartrate with a doppler which is what i heard...we also have state assistance...which is government healthcare for low income non insured people or disabled which covers anything from prenatal to dentists... but if u make too much money u don't get it..unless u are pregnant..they do tend to give that to people before other people there is a waiting list usually for normal uninsured people...children can always get healthcare in PA whether is CHIP or the medical assistance and there are even places to go where kids can get their shots for 5 dollars...or free if u can't pay that.. so thats a nice plus..but basically...healthcare sucks down here..lol even if u are insured..

Nubia - posted on 08/15/2009

That is so nice that in Canada you get free prenatal care. I live in the United States and it was so hard for me, because of some complications,get help and when i finally did i got it from a program called Chip but with it I had to go like about a half hour away for my check ups and the hospital i had to go to was over an hour away i ended up going to give birth at a hospital close to where i live because a hurricane hit and the hospital i had to go to was greatly damaged and even with what happened the place where i had to go to after i had my baby wouldn't check me because i didn't go to the hospital i was supposed to and they said they wouldn't help me. Thanks to the doctor who was there that helped me deliver he said he would do the check up on me.

Candice - posted on 08/15/2009

i agree (canadian) that it should be free. not really fair to risk the child's health because of lack of resources of the parents. but then, i think all health care should be covered by the state (i know what you're thinking...damn socialist...lol)

Toni - posted on 08/15/2009

very very interesting, thank you for responding! Personally, I think prenatal health care should be free everywhere! its taking care of our future generations... thats super important! I think the idea of a midwife is interesting, it is true that most here in canada do tend to see a ob/gyn.

Amber - posted on 08/11/2009

i am from the united states and i had insurance from my work. the way insurance works here is that you have to pay so much (deductable like $250-$500) and then the insurance pays a certain percent of each doc visit untill you reach a maximum usually around $2500. however there are programs threw the state that single or lower class people can take advantage of if they are aware of them. it is a pain in the butt to deal with them but they will pay what your insurance doesn't. and if you don't have insurance through your work there are the state programs that cover prenatal care no matter how much you make. sucks and i would rather have free healthcare but thats just the way it is.

Kimberly - posted on 08/10/2009

im from the united states, here it depends on alot of things, if you are very moor you get free medical care from the government in some cases, i have military healthcare and it was free because john is active duty military. If you dont have any insurance it costs alot but most people will go to the hospital and get medical care and just get billed later and let it add up til they die pretty much, The healthcare system here stinks because good doctors cost a fortune without insurance and the people that need those good drs cant afford it. I was lucky i had a male midwife that i wouldnt have had if i hadnt come to NY in november and been seen by him in the hospital in february

Lynlee - posted on 08/08/2009

I'm also from New Zealand and it is great to have free maternity services. The majority of people use a midwife (who studies for 4 years about babies) which I would much prefer over a doctor (who studies for longer but studies everything). I prefer having a midwife who has concentrated on babies alone. Doctors and obstratricians tend to be more medically focussed and like to manage the labour and birth whereas midwifes tend to do things more naturally - that's a stereotype but generally speaking true. I think we take it for granted in this country that the care is free and if you have a midwife the continuity of care goes from pre-conception (if you wish) right thru to 6 weeks after birth. You also have a choice of a home/water birth with most midwives.

Jennel - posted on 08/08/2009

Im a Canadian living in New Zealand now and here Prenatal care is free with a Midwife if you want an ob you have to pay thousands so about the oposit form there but its a great thing im so glad i having my kids here i love the Midwife idea and less hospitalised it was great.