In Poland, pregnancy is a luxury. Moms share receipts [PHOTOS]

It is said that the home budget experiences a real Armageddon when a child appears in the family. Few add that the revolution begins while pregnant, because it also generates costs. And it is not insignificant, because when it comes to the health of the child and the psychological comfort of the future mother, saving becomes a secondary issue. – Theoretically, you can spend nothing during pregnancy, but the refund is not enough, because there are a lot of expenses. Vitamins themselves cost at least PLN 300, and this is only the tip of the iceberg – says Justyna, who spent almost 3 PLN on medical consultations, tests and dietary supplements during pregnancy. zloty.

1. In Poland, pregnancy is reimbursed. This means that the pregnant woman does not have to pay extra for visits to the gynecologist or basic examinations
2. The problem arises when consultations with specialists are necessary, because diseases such as thyroid gland appear or develop during pregnancy
3. The costs of pregnancy also generate additional laboratory tests and consultations with a physiotherapist when there are problems with the spine or rectus abdominis muscle.
4. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Visits to the gynecologist

Let’s start with the basics, i.e. visits to the gynecologist. Here the matter seems simple: every pregnant woman is entitled to consultations at the National Health Fund. There are over a dozen such visits throughout pregnancy. Until about the 30th week, a woman meets a gynecologist on average once a month, then – every two weeks, and at the end of pregnancy even every week or more (it all depends on the condition of the fetus and the future mother’s well-being). There may be up to 15 visits in total.

Interestingly, at the National Health Fund, a pregnant woman is entitled to a maximum of 10 visits – as a rule, these are two consultations in the first trimester of pregnancy, three in the second and four in the last trimester. If a woman does not give birth to the 40th week of pregnancy, she can see a gynecologist additionally.

Many women use reimbursed visits, but some choose private gynecological care. Why?

– There are only a few gynecologists admitting to the National Health Fund in my city. There are huge queues for everyone, and the ladies wait up to an hour for a visit in the cramped, stuffy waiting room, because these are the delays. The quality of service leaves much to be desired – says Marta. – The doctor who was in charge of my first pregnancy hardly spoke to me during his visits and answered my questions with great grace. I won’t say, he did all the research and ordered blood tests, but I didn’t feel comfortable with him. This is why with my second child, I decided to go on private visits and the difference was huge, I finally felt “taken care of”. The only downside was the cost – I spent a total of 2,1 thousand on consultations. PLN, because the price of one visit is PLN 150 – he adds.

Karolina, who used intrauterine insemination, a reproductive support technique, also decided to undergo private gynecological care during pregnancy. Her pregnancy had to be closely monitored by specialists. She spent over 7,5 thousand. zloty.

– These are visits to the gynecologist – PLN 200 for one, and from the new year an increase to PLN 250. These are tests performed in the laboratory before each visit to the gynecologist and at the endocrinologist, to whom I also went privately. It also includes the sums for injections and drugs for the maintenance of pregnancy, for vitamins and hormones from the endocrinologist. It is also a check-up at an ophthalmologist, breast ultrasound, all cytology and tests required at various stages of pregnancy and before delivery. This is also the amount for the third prenatal screening, as well as the private fetal echo that the doctor ordered because there was a suspicion of Down syndrome. From the confirmation of pregnancy to the birth of 7,5 thousand zloty – he sums up.

Justyna went to the gynecologist «to the National Health Fund» and although the doctor was quite okay, the problem turned out to be «registration ladies». – Once I needed an extracurricular visit to consult a spotting. It turned out that “the doctor will not see me because he has other patients”. No requests or the offer to ask the doctor if she would see me helped. Ultimately, I had to sign up privately. I had a visit the next day, it cost me PLN 200 – he says.

Prenatal testing

Another cost for pregnant women is prenatal testing. Again: theoretically reimbursed, practically most women prefer to pay extra for them.

The National Health Fund finances two prenatal ultrasound: between the 11th and 14th week of pregnancy (allows you to find, among others, genetic defects, such as Down’s syndrome) and between the 18th and 23rd week of pregnancy (allows you to diagnose many defects, including the heart). It is recommended to have another ultrasound scan in the third trimester, allowing for the diagnosis of other disorders that were not visible before or revealed only with the development of pregnancy. However, you have to pay for this ultrasound.

In addition, pregnant women are encouraged to perform text PAPP-Awhich allows you to estimate the risk of an extra chromosome in the fetus (trisomy occurs in the case of Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome or Patau syndrome, among others). For the doctor, the result of this test, along with the measurements taken during prenatal ultrasound, allows a more precise assessment of the risk of a genetic defect in a child.

The National Health Fund refunds this examination to women over 35 years of age, those who had also detected a fetal choromosomal aberration in the previous pregnancy, and if the prenatal ultrasound showed a high risk of such a defect (the test is then a confirmation of the diagnosis). Other pregnant women for the test, if they want to do it, have to pay – about PLN 150-200.

The cost of basic prenatal examinations (USG) ranges from 200 to 400 PLN for one USG. The final price depends, among others on whether the pregnancy is single or multiple, and whether we want a souvenir in the form of a 3D or 4D photo after the examination.

In addition, laboratory tests are performed during pregnancy. The obligatory ones are reimbursed, but the woman will not pay for them only if the referral is issued by the receiving doctor under the National Health Fund. If the pregnant woman goes for visits privately, she will also have to perform the tests for a fee.

Their costs are enormous because many of them are performed throughout the pregnancy, some of them repeatedly. The basic package is PLN 300-400, while the extended version, including, for example, testing antibodies against various infectious diseases, is even twice this amount. This is what Diana spent on one-time laboratory tests.

Dietary supplements

Dietary supplementation in pregnancy is a very important part of disease prevention, both for the baby and the mother to be. The most important thing is folic acid, which influences the proper development of the nervous system of the fetus and prevents its damage and diseases. However, the development of the fetus is also greatly influenced by B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin K. The appropriate level of other nutrients, such as iron, iodine, selenium or DHA, is also important.

So that the pregnant woman does not have to take all these vitamins separately, ready-made preparations containing all the necessary ingredients are available in pharmacies. The cost of such a dietary supplement is about PLN 40-60 per package, which is enough for a month. It is not difficult to count that supplementation from the beginning to the end of pregnancy is over PLN 300although these costs are usually higher, because vitamins are also recommended to be taken after childbirth, during lactation.

– Theoretically, you can spend nothing during pregnancy, but the refund is not enough, because there are a lot of expenses. Vitamins alone cost at least PLN 300, and this is only the tip of the iceberg. AND the worst part is that these supplements get more expensive as your pregnancy progresses. The cheapest ones are in the first trimester, later they become more and more expensive. Different packaging with a slightly different composition for each trimester. This is how you make money for women who want to give birth to a healthy child – Justyna concludes.

Specialist consultations

Medical appointments, tests and vitamins are a topic that applies to all pregnant women. However, many women struggle with other burdens that require additional support, including financial support.

Apart from patients who are chronically ill (they are still under the constant care of the attending physician and take medications), there are pregnant women with health problems only when they are pregnant. There is nothing strange about it – pregnancy is a huge challenge for the body.

The most common diseases that pregnant women struggle with are thyroid disorders (undiagnosed or only appearing in a blessed state), diabetes (known as gestational diabetes) and cholestasis (liver dysfunction). All of them require constant specialist care, both during pregnancy and after the baby is born.

Since 2017, pregnant women are among the privileged group in terms of access to specialists. This means that when they receive a referral to, for example, an endocrinologist or a diabetologist, they must be accepted up to seven working days from the date of notification (preferably on the same day). This is the theory. And the practice?

– According to the law, a specialist must admit a pregnant patient within seven days. However, when I referred to this act in the endocrinology clinic, the lady at the reception desk spread her hands, saying that the doctor is on vacation, and the calendar is so tight that it just won’t fit me. She instructed her to call in three weeks’ time, Róża recalls. – Maybe I was extremely unlucky and as a rule this recipe works, probably a lot also depends on the clinic, but I know from my friends that it was not an isolated case – he says, adding that she paid PLN 250 for each endocrinological consultation. She had three visits during pregnancy, and it was only because the doctor had given her her phone number so that she would call in case of doubt instead of coming over.

A separate group of problems are those affecting muscles, joints and bones. During pregnancy, the spine suffers the most, but more and more often, pregnant women struggle with a rectus abdominal muscle (the so-called white line). It is a painful ailment that requires not only rest, but also consultation with a urogynecological physiotherapist.

Justyna was pregnant with this problem. – In total, I had to make three visits to a physiotherapist specializing in urogynecology, and to wear special tapes (tepa – ed.) That prevented further separation. In total, I paid almost PLN 400 for visits and these tapes – he lists.

The rest of the text below the video.

Less obvious costs

The last group of costs are less obvious expenses. They are not obligatory, but they have one great advantage: they give the future mother comfort, both physically and mentally.

Among them is the cost of recommended vaccinations. Pregnant women most often decide to vaccinate against the flu (cost about PLN 50). Vaccination against whooping cough is also recommended, cost: PLN 100-150 (in some establishments the injection itself is also payable, unless the preparation is purchased on the spot). The administration of killed vaccines (e.g. against chickenpox or measles, mumps and rubella) during pregnancy is not recommended.

Many women also choose childbirth classes. It is a course for future parents, during which they receive basic information on the course of childbirth and care for a newborn baby. Most of this type of training is divided into theoretical and practical parts, and the classes are conducted by doctors and midwives. Such courses are often organized in a hospital clinic, and women who plan to give birth in a given facility register for them. The cost of birthing school depends largely on the number of classes and the program, it ranges from PLN 200 to even PLN 1500.

Part of the birthing school is sometimes a first aid course aimed at helping newborns and infants. Many future parents also decide to buy an individual course that will give them specific skills in the event of a crisis, e.g. burns, bites, poisoning, choking or cardiac arrest in a child. The first aid course costs about PLN 200-300.

How much does pregnancy cost? Here is a sample inventory of expenses

Being pregnant can cost as much as our health premiums balance. However, it can also cost a lot more if we decide (it is always a choice, although often “no way out”) for paid visits, tests and services. How much do pregnant women spend on average during pregnancy?

Justyna shared her list of expenses with us. We find on it:

– two private visits to a gynecologist – PLN 400

– pregnancy maintenance drugs – PLN 105

– three prenatal ultrasound examinations – PLN 830

– PAPP test – PLN 160

– three consultations with a urogynecological physiotherapist along with teipas – 390 PLN

– orthopedic pillow – 163 PLN

– dietary supplements – PLN 342

– additional laboratory tests – PLN 71

– flu vaccination – PLN 48

– hospital birth school for couples – PLN 200

The total “cost of pregnancy” was PLN 2709.

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