Private or Public

Soon after I found out that I am pregnant, my next step is to decide whether to deliver my baby in a private or public hospital. Little did I realize, what a decision to make.

There are lots of factors to consider. Although I would like to think of myself as healthy and I truly believe there will not be much of a complication as my mum had not experience any complications at all with the three of us. Well, they say it's something to do with genetic although I have not known any gene which account for smooth delivery.

Anyway, I have sort of made up my mind to go to a private hospital partly because I have a private health fund which I have been paying like sky-high every month. This private health fund covers accommodation which is a major part of the expenses. Then the other part of the expenses are the obstetrician fees. Apparently, the patient has to choose from a list of obstetricians and then book them way in advance or else, all the good ones will not be available. Goes to show that it's important to find out about your pregnancy as soon as possible. In Australia, medicare pays for 80% of the expenses if it hits the gap. Well, a bit too complicated to explain now but basically, I am paying probably bout 1-2 K for the delivery if it's a vaginal delivery.

Since my lab has some affiliation with the hospital I'm going to, my boss was kind enough to recommend some good and kind obstetrician. The doctor that I've finally decided on apparently charges more reasonably than other female doctors of which the reason the latter doctors are doing so is because there aren't many female obstetricians around, so they are very high in demand.

The hospital that I'm going to is North Shore Private Hospital or in short NSPH. Another reason for choosing a private hospital is that I was told by some friends should I face complication, I will need a good obstetrician, else in public hospital, without your own obstetrician, they will place a somewhat more junior doctor to be in charge of me. That's a pretty scary thought, although I don't know how true and reliable that is.

It's funny that, I've always thought that going to a private hospital is unnecessary and probably over-rated. I thought there should definitely be some good doctors in public hospital. How things changed when you are going through pregnancy yourself. My trust is so frail when I'm facing pregnancy now.

So, for now, I'm basically all set with the bookings and appointments. My next step is to wait for my first scan ie dating scan on the the 12th.