- Our services
- Maternity
- Premium Private Maternity Care
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Premium Private Maternity Care
For premium care during your pregnancy, you have the option to choose your own private obstetrician. Having your own obstetrician will provide you one main point of contact for your pregnancy, birth and after your baby is born.
Your chosen private obstetrician will be able to manage and support you in early pregnancy from seven weeks gestation. They do straightforward ultrasounds in their rooms, and many have midwives working alongside them, but you will see your chosen doctor at all your appointments. Throughout your pregnancy your doctor will discuss your health and wellness, your birth plan and what’s important to you. Your private obstetrician will then guide you to help ensure your pregnancy and birth go according to plan.
Once you are booked to give birth at our hospital, you will have exclusive access to the maternity app, Eve, to support you with information, videos and a forum to connect with other mothers.
Private obstetricians will provide pregnancy planning advice and investigate fertility issues if needed. They are also trained gynaecologists so they are experienced in all matters of women’s health. Private obstetricians manage complex or high risk pregnancies, multiple births, pre-existing maternal health issues such as diabetes and any health issues that may arise during pregnancy.
Your local doctor may help you to choose an obstetrician and can provide a referral. You can also contact the hospital directly and ask for a list of our practicing obstetricians or follow this link to see them all. Many will have websites or social media accounts so you can find out more about them to help you make your choice.
Fee information for Premium Private Maternity Care with private health insurance
If you have private health insurance that covers maternity care your insurance company will pay for your hospital care. Private health funds usually require membership for at least one year before they will cover you for maternity services. Once you have served the required membership period they will cover any admission you may need including if you need to be admitted during pregnancy, when you come into hospital for the birth and after your baby is born at St John of God Berwick. Private health insurance also covers doctors’ fees when you are in hospital.
It does not cover doctors’ fees or tests during pregnancy.
Private obstetricians all run their own private practice; each doctor decides their own fee range. Your obstetrician will let you know what fees you can expect for your pregnancy appointments and for their care during the birth and your hospital stay. They will let you know how much is covered by your health fund, whether there is a Medicare refund for any costs and what out of-pocket costs you will have to pay.
You should call each of the doctors you are considering and request information on their fees. They will provide information on the costs of their pregnancy management – they are all very used to being asked for a quote and their receptionist will provide one to you on request.
It is important that you also contact your health insurer and check your cover with them.
Fee information for Premium Private Maternity Care for self-funding (without private health insurance)
We know choosing your hospital and obstetrician is a big decision, particularly if you don't have health insurance. We hope our easy-to-read estimate assists you in your decision making process.
Hospital-related costs for private patients seeing their own private obstetrician who are self-funding the costs, vary depending on your circumstances. Compare the options below for guidance on the likely costs depending on your needs:
- Costs for Premium Private Maternity Care for Medicare card holders without private health insurance.
- Costs for Premium Private Maternity Care for non-Medicare card holders without private health insurance.
For Medicare card holders without private health insurance
- Hospital care during pregnancy, birth and after your baby is born
- Anaesthetic and paediatrician fee deposit, $3,000 refundable if not required
- All pregnancy, birth and post-natal appointments with obstetrician and midwife
- Ultrasounds or other tests
- Pathology tests
- Pharmacy
Without Medicare and without private health insurance
- Hospital care during pregnancy, birth and after your baby is born
- Anaesthetic and paediatrician fee deposit, $3,000 refundable if not required
- All pregnancy, birth and post-natal appointments with obstetrician and midwife
- Ultrasounds or other tests
- Pathology tests
- Pharmacy
Additional fees may be charged if you need to be admitted during pregnancy (other than to give birth), or if your baby requires admission to Special Care Nursery. These fees can be obtained from our business office on 03 8784 5000.
Note these fees do not include private obstetrician fees, which are obtained from the doctors rooms.
The above fees are estimates and can vary from pregnancy to pregnancy. There may be additional costs associated with your pregnancy in addition to the fees listed above.
Those additional fees may include ultrasounds, pathology, pharmacy, anaesthetic care, paediatric care, a surgical assistant, referrals to other specialists, ICU bed fee or fees if a higher level of care is required.
Please contact your health fund to confirm your obstetrics cover and if an excess payment is required.
An anaesthetist will be required for pain relief in the case of a caesarean delivery or administering an epidural. A paediatrician will be required in the case of a caesarean delivery or if the baby requires medical attention.
This paediatrician and anaesthetist deposit of $3,000 is payable prior to admission for uninsured patients to cover anaesthetist or paediatrician fees. If the services of an anaesthetist or paediatrician are not required, this deposit will be fully refunded.
If you have private health insurance you can choose to be cared for privately by an obstetrician at a private hospital.
Health insurance only applies when you are admitted to hospital, it does not apply to your pregnancy related visits or expenses. However, part of those expenses will be covered by Medicare. Check with your obstetrician about whether you can expect out of pocket fees during your pregnancy care.
Private health funds usually require membership for at least one year before they will cover you for maternity services. Check your policy carefully to understand what is covered and what is not. Usually you can elect the level of cover you want so you may choose to make some changes if you already have a policy in place. Check with your obstetrician about whether you can expect out of pocket fees for the following services:
- Doctor fees during hospital admission.
- Other doctor fees including anaesthetist, paediatrician and surgical assistant (for caesarean section) costs.
- Diagnostic fees (ultrasound and blood tests).
For more information about any of our private maternity services, please contact the maternity team on 03 8784 5300.
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