private or public for pregnancy?
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Italy
Posts: 67
private or public for pregnancy?
Hi all, just looking for some adivce for those who had a pregancy while in Aussie. Did you go private or public why/why not?
thanks
thanks
#2
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Joined: Nov 2005
Location: Whinging Aussie
Posts: 523
Re: private or public for pregnancy?
Bush style, have it under a tree in the backyard. Hubby can use the placenta for the barbie.
#3
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Joined: Jan 2009
Location: London > Brisbane
Posts: 75
Re: private or public for pregnancy?
Our experience is specific to Canberra, although I suspect every major capital city will be the same.
Go Public
If you get into real difficulties in a private hospital - you'll be moved to the Public system to access the best services and consultants/doctors. Why put yourselves at risk.. and just be where the experts are in the first place should a nightmare present. Or, in otherwords, when/if the shite hits the fan you will be going public anyway. Save the $3K private expense (or so) on something nice to get you all through the next 12 weeks.
For those medics in the private system, this shouldn't be taken as a slight against it's professional ability.. simply that (IMO) any serious complication or escalation is going to get you a front row seat with the most senior consultant in the Public system without question.
Last edited by craig_m67; Sep 25th 2009 at 12:26 am.
#4
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Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 2,949
Re: private or public for pregnancy?
No complaints so far and I'm in my 30th week. I'm under shared care with the hospital and my GP, my GP is bulk billing so I haven't paid to see him. My 20 week anomaly scan was at Redcliffe hospital and I didn't pay for that. The only thing I've had to pay for was my first dating scan but I chose to go private for that because I had no idea how far gone I was (and I mean not a clue!!) and the public system meant I would've had to have waited about 3 weeks for a scan and I didn't want to.
I don't know what the birth will be like at a public hospital but I have heard good things. I'm hoping I won't be in that long seeing as its my 2nd child.
Good luck with it all!
#5
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Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Italy
Posts: 67
Re: private or public for pregnancy?
Thanks for the info. I am on the Sunshine Coast and trying to decide if I should go private or private (in public hospital) I don't qualify for medicare so I cannot utilise the public system. I have health coverage (medibank) so from my understanding most things will be covered.
as for the bush delivery, not ready for all that
as for the bush delivery, not ready for all that
#6
Re: private or public for pregnancy?
Used the family birth centre (completely midwife led) at the Mercy hospital in Heidelberg (Melbourne), just down the road from us.
An amazing service. Never had to even see an Obs during the entire pregnancy.
Natural birth after a 20 hour labour (18 hours of that at home) with the assistance of some of the most truly amazing midwives you will ever meet.
We even had our own private room in the Birth Centre.
We would never opt for going private after the wonderful experience we had via the public service.
Our total cost ? less than a few hundred bucks for the 3d scan along the way and the other few out of pocket expenses we incurred. Medicare looked after everything !
Here's our bouncing baby, 10 months later
#7
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Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Italy
Posts: 67
Re: private or public for pregnancy?
We went public. It was a no brainer if you are a healthy couple.
Used the family birth centre (completely midwife led) at the Mercy hospital in Heidelberg (Melbourne), just down the road from us.
An amazing service. Never had to even see an Obs during the entire pregnancy.
Natural birth after a 20 hour labour (18 hours of that at home) with the assistance of some of the most truly amazing midwives you will ever meet.
We even had our own private room in the Birth Centre.
We would never opt for going private after the wonderful experience we had via the public service.
Our total cost ? less than a few hundred bucks for the 3d scan along the way and the other few out of pocket expenses we incurred. Medicare looked after everything !
Here's our bouncing baby, 10 months later
Used the family birth centre (completely midwife led) at the Mercy hospital in Heidelberg (Melbourne), just down the road from us.
An amazing service. Never had to even see an Obs during the entire pregnancy.
Natural birth after a 20 hour labour (18 hours of that at home) with the assistance of some of the most truly amazing midwives you will ever meet.
We even had our own private room in the Birth Centre.
We would never opt for going private after the wonderful experience we had via the public service.
Our total cost ? less than a few hundred bucks for the 3d scan along the way and the other few out of pocket expenses we incurred. Medicare looked after everything !
Here's our bouncing baby, 10 months later