According to an Oxford study recently done in the UK, home births are more cost effective. The results were recently posted in the British Medical Journal and already everyone is chiming in with their opinions.
They estimated that new parents will save an average of 600 pounds. This, of course, does make a lot of sense money wise. Home births rule out the choice for pain reducing drugs, don’t require an overnight stay in a medical facility and there are no charges for warming blankets, meals, etc.
Thankfully, they also go on to say that for second time mothers especially, home birth for a low risk pregnancy is just as safe as a hospital birth. At least they didn’t waste their time with the money business and also came up with some more useful information in regards to safety. The savings were quite obvious even without a two year study.
Giving birth at home in the states is also cheaper for the most part than giving birth in a hospital. In my area, the birthing centers and CNM staff take insurances. Mine had a rather long list of insurances that they worked with. Even out of pocket, an out of hospital birth can save you big time.
Personal example: My son was born 5 yrs ago in a hospital. I had a “typical” experience which included an epidural. Our bill, before insurance was some $10,000 or so and that did not include the OB care for 9 months. Maybe more. Who knows. It was 5 yrs ago. I do know we paid at least $3,500 out of pocket.
My daughter, who is 1, was born in a free standing birthing center. All of my care from them, all 9 months of appointments, the birth, a follow up visit at home for the typical three day baby check and my three month post-partum follow up hit right under $5,000 before insurance. BEFORE insurance. Had I had her at home, it would have been the same cost.
This post wasn’t meant to be a debate on where to give birth though. Just reconfirming a lengthily Oxford study that anyone can sit down and do the math at home when they’re trying to make a cost effective birthing plan.
