Few questions about public hospitals

[supersara]

Hi everyone,
I just found out I'm pregnant and since I'm not originally from Australia everything feels a bit daunting at the moment and I have a few questions I hope you can help me with!
I have both medicare and private health insurance but not maternity cover so unless I want to pay larger sum I assume that leaves me with public hospitals?
Can you still choose to have an elective caesarean in a public hospital?
I've read that quite a few sign up for hospitals very early, is that something you still need to when you're opting for a public one? We live in Perth
What do you do next? Haha, silly question I guess but do you just see your GP when you've reached a certain week or how does it work? Like I said, we only just found out so I'm only 5 weeks but still, getting answers to all those questions would really help!!
Thanks :)

[fludo]

Hi Supersara :wave: . I'm no expert as I haven't been pg before, but if your private insurance doesn't have maternity cover then yep, you would have to go public (or go private but pay for it yourself).

Just go straight to your GP to get your pregnancy confirmed - they might do a blood test. Then they'll tell you want to do next.

Congrats on your pregnancy! Hopefully I'll be joining you there soon!

[Chelle123]

Go to your GP to confirm pg and they will direct you to an OB. The OB will help you with choosing a hospital and booking. Do all this asap as some hospitals have a limited number of bookings they can take.

Well that's how it was for me anyway, but I'm in Melbourne.

[TwoBoysOnly]

You don't need to go to an OB.....Just go to your GP and get him/her to send a referral to the hospital you want to birth at. Then you should have a booking in appointment with the hospital where you will be able to choose the type of care you want. Most choose share care between the hospital and your GP....at the moment you only need 4 weekly checkups so just go and see your GP in the first instance.... :babydust2:

[kaybee]

Yes, if you are going public you don't go to an Ob, you see your GP and get a referral to a hospital and then ring them up and book in for your first appointment, where you can discuss the type of care available. (Shared Care is the way to go IMO :thumbsup: ) I think they have changed the rules, here in NSW anyway, about elective c-sections if you go public and you aren't allowed for non-medical reasons. You would have to check this at your hopsy appointment.
Also, with regards to booking into the hopsital for the birth, all hospitals have different procedures for this. Mine I couldn't book in until after I was 20 weeks.

[lilpearl]

Hello,

It depends on which state you're in in regards to access to different modes of maternity care. The Melbourne health system is very up-tight, and a lot of women end up seeing an obstetrician, even if they have a normal, low-risk pregnancy. In other states, midwifery care is far more accepted as the safest and best form of maternity care, with an emphasis on primary health care, as this has been proven to be the safest mode of maternity care, with an emphasis on the normal, and only referral to obstetrical care/intervention if truely required. In all states, everything is entirely up to you, the consumer.

Yes, you will need to pay high prices to use a private hospital, or should you choose obstetrical care. Depending on the state you live in, you may have to pay for private midwifery care/homebirth care.

As you are five weeks pregnant, there is no huge hurry to trot off the the G.P, but this will be your first port of call, where you will be given a letter of referal to whatever childbirth service you choose (many birth centres and hospitals don't need a referral from a G.P though - ask at the appropriate centre/hospital). The G.P will also refere you to have your first blood test, to ensure your iron levels, etc are all good. Unless there is a spacific 'problem' (unlikely), you will only see a care provider every 4-6 weeks or so for most of your pregnancy.


Most care providers will not encourage an elective caesarean for no medical reason, as caesarean holds far more risk for mother and baby (this is true even if you have already had a caesarean in the past, unless there is an underlying cause that suggests caesarean is safer than vaginal birth in your situation).

I would suggest you read a whole bunch of books on both caesarean and natural birth, including hospital-based and homebirth, to gain an understanding of the differences in what you can expect, as well as to gain an awareness of the birthing body and the true nature of birth, and let go of any fear you may have surrounding birth. However, I do not know your specific circumstances - I may be able to asist you further if you wish to elaborate.

A lot of birth centres and hospitals with midwifery practices do fill up quickly, so you may want to get your name down A.S.A.P, should you choose one of those modes of care. I think obstetricians can get booked up, too, but they can usually fit you in somewhere (visits are generally only 5-15 minutes in length and they get a nice sum for them).

Remember too, once you have chosen a mode of care, you are the only person who has the last say in how you wish to approach your pregnancy. All tests are optional, and a care provider chould always give you (writen) information on the pros and cons of any intervention, including 'routine' tests and procedures.

All the best!

[Chelle123]

Yes, if you are going public you don't go to an Ob.

I'm going public and still have a private OB.

[TwoBoysOnly]

Why do you have a private OB if you are going public :confused: more to the point why do you want one :confused:

[*Sparkles*]

I went public for my first bub and I had total midwife care for the pregnancy (not shared care). You can decide this when you have your first appt at the hospital. They normally do the first appt around 9-12 weeks. With the public system you only get 1 scan at 20 weeks, unless you have the nucal scan (for downs syndrome) at approx 12 weeks.

With my next bub I am seeing a private OB and having an elective caesar. This is because I had complications after my last bub and needed corrective surgery.
If I went public again they most likely wouldn't do the elective caesar as it would be possible for me to birth vaginally again (but I don't want to). The point here is that most likely the only way you would get an elective CS would be through an OB. That's how it is in Melb anyway.
Can I ask why you want an elective CS anyway?

[supersara]

Thank you alla for your replies! They were all very helpful and I feel that this forum will be a great source of information throughout my pregnancy :)
About the questions about elective caeserans, I'm not planning on having one, I was just curious about the different options and also differences bewteen public and private care.
Thanks again :wave:

[lilpearl]

no problem :)

feel free to PM me any time if you have any questions!

All the best