In most cases in America, childbirth is taken by either an obstetrician-gynecologist or a nurse-midwife. In normal uncomplicated childbirth, you yourself are free to choose who you want more:
- Obstetrician-gynecologist or as it is written or pronounced everywhere – Ob-Gyn. This is a licensed doctor (M.D.) who has undergone rigorous training: 4 years in general internship, 4 years in surgeon’s internship, and 3 years in specialized internship in gynecology. These doctors work in gynecological clinics, centers for mothers and children, and at hospitals. They have their own offices, assistants. They know a lot and are more expensive – therefore, often each examination and conversation with a doctor takes 5-10 minutes at most, and that’s it – he runs to the next client. Ob-Gyn can perform cesarean sections and other surgical procedures if needed. Ob-Gyn usually monitors the pregnancy from start to finish, and takes delivery in the hospital: he is used to a pile of useful equipment, anesthesiologists and all kinds of intensive therapies right at hand. Previously, this figure was much less, but today, 98% of births are taken by gynecologists.
- Midwife or Certified Midwife Nurse – a nurse with a general higher education and 2-3 years of master’s degree in midwifery, with a special license. This does not mean that the midwife will be poor at birth, or that she may not have her own office. Midwives earn (and cost) less, they can devote more time to patients – telling, comforting, holding hands, meditating, trying all sorts of different techniques. Midwives are often chosen by those who have very little money; those who want to give birth in a relaxed atmosphere at home, give birth in water, in the bushes, standing on their heads, and so on. It should be added that in case of any complications, the woman in labor is immediately put into an ambulance and taken to a normal hospital to see normal surgeons.
First examination
At the first appointment, doctors made a sonogram and printed the first photo of your future baby. Naturally, at the first visit, you had to fill out and sign a lot of papers, provide all the data about the health insurance, family medical history you know, data on all kinds of allergies, and so on. It is also necessary to pass the first tests. After a couple of days, you will receive a call and be informed about the the results of all tests.
Monthly appointments
If everything is ok, you will be scheduled for the next appointment exactly one month later. Monthly visits will continue this way until the 7th or 8th month, when they switch to visits once every two weeks, and from the 9th month – to weekly visits. Every time a robot calls you on the phone, reminding of a planned visit in a couple of days.
Each visit – urine analysis, weight and pressure measurement, pulse measurement, sometimes (at a later date – always) – a gynecological examination. Several times it was necessary to donate blood for analysis: the first one at the very beginning, and then another about the 7th and 9th months. The next ultrasound is scheduled for the 20th week, and the last one for the 36th.
Financial aspect
Since health insurance in America works specifically, you never know exactly how much you owe in the end. Cases of lack of insurance are possible. In this way, future parents have to take 1000 payday loans to cover medical bills.
In some clinic, the cost of pregnancy and, in fact, childbirth is $2,400. This amount includes the management of pregnancy, whether 15 or 16 examinations, assistance in possible complications and the very adoption of childbirth. If you have no health insurance of the highest level, you may be agreed to pay this amount in installments throughout the pregnancy.
This amount does not include the cost of tests and ultrasound, but these amounts are partially or completely covered by the insurance itself (for example, for the very first blood tests, the laboratory may bill $ 1,400 and it is fully and free of charge covered by our insurance).