Cost of Having a Baby

Posted by Brenda Lane Nov 18, 2007

Are you expecting a baby? Are you prepared for the out-of-pocket expenses you may have during the nine months pr pregnancy and including the costs for the birth?

According to a new survey by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the average expenses during the prenatal period and including the birth were approximately $7,600 in 2004. These expenses also included prescriptions and tests.

Even though most women who were privately-insured had a majority of these expenses covered, the out-of-pocket expenses were typically about 8% of the total bill or about $660. Women who had private insurance were also billed approximately $2,000 more for the cost of the birth of the baby versus mothers with Medicaid.

How do you feel about the escalating costs of medical expenses in order to have your baby? The reality is that there are ways as a society, to reduce these expenses including giving birth in free-standing birth centers and choosing a midwife as your provider.

Brenda