I am counting ALL the medical costs related to this pregnancy up to delivery. Although, the effects of pregnancy do not stop when you have a baby in your arms. For many women there is other conditions that arise or get complicated from pregnancy that need to be addressed post-delivery. Luckily, my labor & delivery was quick and relatively easy (I need to write that birth story soon!). Many doctors today are starting to speak in terms of a “fourth trimester:” the 3-months or so after delivery when the most obvious effects of pregnancy & delivery abate.
*As a side note, I firmly believe we need national paid family leave (I did not say maternity leave – partners need to be included too!). Apparently in our world today this makes me a “leftist,” however I will point out that the Trump administration passed paid maternity leave for federal workers! For a narcissistic, lunatic asshole I applaud him for that.
My Brief Medical Background
Amongst my other list of pregnancy related conditions (balanced chromosomal translocation, APS blood clotting disorder, & gestational diabetes) I also have a congenital heart condition (SVT). In my adulthood, it was totally under control but pregnancy being what it is (hormonal changes yall!) it was not in control during this pregnancy. I ended up in the ER twice, admitted overnight once, but had 5 episodes in total. Due to this, my team of doctors (OBGYN, FMH, & Cardiologist) all believe it was necessary for me to get another heart ablation (I had a partial one done when I was 17) no sooner than 12 weeks after delivery. Although my heart is not “baby related,” the reasons I need to have this procedure done again is. Therefore you will see those associated costs & procedures on this chart.
Read more: I wish I was the 99%
My Brief Insurance Background
I pay $0 out of my paycheck for this High Deductible Plan & our school board gives $750 a year to my pre-tax Health Savings Account (HSA). I choose to put aside an additional $50 per paycheck to my HSA (20 paychecks per year = $1000/year).
This is how my plan works:
- I get $750 in January
- I pay 100% of the costs until my deductible is met ($1,750) – I met this with my unexpected ER visit in March
- I pay 20% of the costs until my out of pocket maximum is met ($5,500) – as of 4/24 I have $2,299.82 remaining to hit this
- After my out of pocket is met, I pay nothing but copays (which, on my plan, I do not have any)
Also, since we have both managed our HSAs well over the past few years, none of the cost of my healthcare this year is “out of my pocket.” This means that it is all coming from my & Will’s pre-tax HSAs. When I got pregnant I just estimated I was going to spend all my out of pocket maximum anyways & made sure we had enough in there to cover it. However, they are now nearly depleted.
Read more: Journey through Pregnancy: First Trimester Medical Costs
In the charts below there are a few symbol keys to be aware of:
- + means it was covered under the Global Maternity Fee, which basically means instead of being charged individually per prenatal service, your doctor collects an estimated fee that covers the basics (because I reached my out of pocket maximum, the amount I initially paid, $655.38, was reimbursed to us.)
- * means that this cost is associated with me being high risk, therefore it is not a “typical” pre or post natal medical procedure
First Trimester Medical Costs
| Prenatal Vitamins (90 count) | $17.82 |
| Low-dose Aspirin (120 count) | $2.00 |
| OBGYN (First Prenatal Visit) | $37.43 |
| First Prenatal Lab Tests | $28.59 |
| Progesterone Lab | $2.85 |
| Enoxaparin Sodium Shots (1 month)* | $78.21 |
| Ultrasound + Routine OBGYN+ (cost is just for the ultrasound, which are not covered under the Global Maternity Fee) | $30.42 |
| First Trimester Blood Tests | $285.79 |
| Spotting/Lab Data Follow Up OBGYN Appointment* | $7.01 |
| Enoxaparin Sodium Shots (1 month)* | $98.95 |
| Ultrasound & FMH* | $684.65 |
| Routine OBGYN+ | $0.00 |
| TOTAL | $1,273.72 |
Read more:
Second Trimester Medical Costs
| 24-hour Urine Collection Lab* | $6.04 |
| Prenatal Vitamins | $7.99 |
| Low Dose Aspirin* | $1.99 |
| Enoxaparin Sodium Shots (2 months)* | $156.00 |
| Routine OBGYN+ | $0.00 |
| Platelet blood test & Spina bifida blood test | $16.74 |
| Ultrasound (Vaginal + Anatomy) + FMH+ | $823.78 |
| ER & Overnight Stay for SVT+ | $1,153.23 |
| ER Ultrasound+ | $88.87 |
| ER Discharge Doctor+ | $67.12 |
| ER OBGYN+ | $46.88 |
| ER Some Doctor (Chatfield)+ | $26.38 |
| ER Some Doctor (Hamilton)+ | $189.59 |
| ER Cardiologist+ | $35.63 |
| ER Lab Work+ | $49.16 |
| Routine OBGYN* | $0.00 |
| March Global Maternity Fee Payment #1* | $355.38 |
| Prenatal Vitamins | $13.99 |
| Enoxaparin Shots (3 months)+ | $231.65 |
| Routine OGBYN* | $0.00 |
| Ultrasound (In Utero Heart ECO) & FMH+ | $317.71 |
| TOTAL | $3,588.14 |
Read more:
Third Trimester Costs
| April & May Global Maternity Fee Payment #2 & #3* | $300.00 |
| 1 Hour Glucose Test | $0.64 |
| ER for SVT+ | $847.87 |
| Routine OBGYN* | $0.00 |
| Pre & Postnatal Back Brace for Scoliosis (my insurance refused to cover this after the company said that they would so they gave me a refund of the amount I paid, $177) | $0.00 |
| Prenatal vitamins | $10.99 |
| Cardiologist Visit & ECG+ | $17.68 |
| Lansinoh Smartpump 2.0 Deluxe Double Electric Breast Pump* | $0.00 |
| 3 Hour Glucose Test+ | $0.00 |
| Ultrasound + Non-stress Test + FMH | $120.14 |
| Routine OBGYN* | $0.00 |
| 24-hour Urine Collection Lab+ | $1.21 |
| Glucose Testing Materials+ | $24.52 |
| Ultrasound + Non-stress Test + FMH+ | $114.88 |
| Ultrasound + Non-stress Test + FMH+ | $114.88 |
| Routine OBGYN* | $0.00 |
| TDAP Booster – Jess | $0.00 |
| Osceola Regional Medical Center: Labor & Delivery (I reached my Out-of-Pocket-Maximum within 2 seconds of entering the hospital) | $11.00 |
| TOTAL | $1,448.93 |
Read more:
- Journey through Pregnancy: Month 7
- Journey through Pregnancy: Month 8
- Journey through Pregnancy: The Clothes
GRAND PREGNANCY MEDICAL COSTS TOTAL: $5.666.79 (lol 666…sign of the Devil)
*Note: My Global Maternity Fee was 99% reimbursed because I reached my out of pocket maximum as I reached the hospital (-$644)
