Having a Baby in Oz

[Carkyde]

Hi just wondered what are the differences in the maternity services, has anyone gone to Oz expecting a baby. OH and me are trying, I just wondered what the quality of care is like there compared to the good ole NHS.

Do u have to have separate health insurance to cover hospital care? What are the after care services like?

Any info appreciated.Ta

[Roo1]

You may like to PM Rachel on here as she is expecting (me too but its early yet) and if you go on adbrits there's a whole section devoted to this in the reading room, written by FoxyChick.

You can go private. I have private health insurance with Medibank but found I still have to pay up to $2000 for my Obstetrician. I'm now going to use the shared care option where my GP looks after me for most of my check ups, with appointments at Flinders Hospital for Ultra sounds etc.

I been told there's nothing wrong with the maternity units here and people's experiences have been positive, infact better than with the U.K NHS.

The best of luck with your plans

Judi x

[foxychick]

I just wondered what the quality of care is like there compared to the good ole NHS.

Depends what your local NHS is like I suppose, but I found it pretty similar to our local NHS (which was good). Seems to be a lot less midwife driven, but only in my experience.

Do u have to have separate health insurance to cover hospital care?

No- you will be covered on medicare, apart from initial doctor visit and some scans

What are the after care services like?

Not like the UK, you may get 1 or 2 midwife visits, then you access help via CAYHS

Any info appreciated.Ta

hope that helps

[Carkyde]

Hi Roo

Can I ask another question, sorry if this is dumb ..... with the shared care option you mentioned does this come out of Medicare or your private insurance?
What are the antenatal services like? Is it GP who arranges scans, or do you do it yourself?

Also how far into your pregnancy are you .... congrats!!

Thanks C

[lewnimatt]

Hi All,

Does anyone know if you can do the shared care option on a provisional sponsered visa 475? I was hoping to have my next child when we get to Adelaide next year but have read stuff about not being covered on medicare if we have a temporary visa and that the private health insurance is very expensive.

thanks,

N

[norah battie]

yes you will be covered on the reciprocal agreement on temp visa

[lewnimatt]

Thanks for confirming. Do you know where i can get any info about this reciprocal agreement? I've looked on medicare's website but it just states that the medical cover given to temp resisdants is for medical emergencys only?

thanks

[norah battie]

we went to medicare or phoned them and they explained it to us.....just like U.K.....the emergency thing is a confusing statement......I think thats why think we should get private but its no so necessary

[Sallyh]

Its well worth investigating all your options. The obstetric system here is fear based and insurance led, meaning that the c-section rate is extremely high - no hospital in the UK would get away with figures as high as those without questions being asked.

Would encourage anyone pg to look into midwifery led care - the public system is not only free but you stand a chance of actually giving birth rather than having a c-section delivery. Of course there's a time and a place for that but quite seriously I know 3 people now who have had c-sections booked by obstetricians - prior to, or only 5 days over their due date (first time mothers) - because the obstetrician had a holiday booked. (They managed to find a spurious medical reason to 'justify' it but it was transparent.) That's not an exaggeration its absolute truth.

The Group Practice Scheme at Women's and Childrens is a good alternative -and now they are actually starting a home birth service, bringing it up to being more like Community Midwifery Practice in the UK. There are also birth centre options (less medical, less interventive in spirit).

Anyone who wants a home birth though (or is just curious about the alternative) should also consider an independent midwife - not a fortune and we have just chosen an amazing one. That's an option that wasn't available to me in the UK and of course the main benefit is a relationship with a caregiver you trust and know will be with you in labour. The Group Practice Scheme also aims to have a 'one mother one midwife' arrangement so in that sense I think it may be better than UK.

There is a birth festival coming up in Adelaide in the next few months, and I will post more details.

DH and I went to the Homebirth Network coffee morning yesterday with our youngest 2, at Goodwood Community Centre. It was lovely and they have some good talks etc coming up. You don't have to be a die hard homebirth fanatic to go, but its a really friendly environment (with morning tea and lots of toys) in which to discover alternative choices, meet doulas and independent midwives, and hear from other people about their experiences. I think someone new to Adelaide who wanted an idea of what really goes on should go and have a chat with peeps there (you tend to know the score in your own territory, so here I needed to meet people to see what Adelaide's system is like tho I had a pretty good idea).

What was so nice was actually meeting a few first time mums who'd had lovely births at home (I'd have liked to) and so that's really encouraging and a testimony to the v experienced independent midwives.

Here are some links for info:

http://sabirthmatters.org.au/ [The Birth Matters group is a not-for-profit birth information and support group established ten years ago in Adelaide (1999). It aims to provide good information to prospective parents and new parents to enable them to make genuinely informed choices regarding their pregnancy and birth care and choices]

and

http://www.homebirthsa.org.au/

and Beautiful Birth Festival http://www.homebirthsa.org.au/BBF_index.htm

[jen&ian]

Thanks for that info, I've been absolutely horrified by some of the stories I've heard about the goings on at some private hospitals re obstetrics, so it's good to hear that home births are becoming a bit more available.

Jen