What are the costs of pregnancy and childbirth? Is there insurance coverage or public support?

Although there is an image that pregnancy and childbirth are expensive, many expectant mothers and fathers may have no idea how much it actually costs. Be sure to check what and how much time it will take at each stage, from before birth to after you welcome your baby.

What expenses are necessary before giving birth?

The main expense during pregnancy is the prenatal checkup fee.
During pregnancy, your body undergoes rapid changes, so regular health checks are necessary. It is recommended that you have around 14 checkups from the beginning of pregnancy until just before giving birth.

Health checkups are not medical treatment or treatment, so all costs must be paid by the patient. In most cases, you can receive financial assistance if you submit your pregnancy notification to the municipality where you live, but unfortunately it is rare that you receive full financial assistance. Most senior mothers recall that they had to pay a few thousand yen each time they had a medical checkup, sometimes exceeding 10,000 yen. In total, the total cost for 14 doses will be around 50,000 yen.

Pregnant women tend to be unstable in their physical condition, so if something goes wrong, they may need to be seen at night or on holidays. In such cases, out-of-hours consultation fees and transportation costs will be charged.

How much does it cost to give birth?

When you give birth, you will be required to pay the so-called "birth costs" to the hospital, including hospitalization fees, delivery fees, and treatment fees.

Costs are not uniform and vary by prefecture and hospital. According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the national average cost of childbirth in 2020 was 467,000 yen. Since the average annual increase is about 1%, it is thought to be about 485,000 yen in FY2020.

Public hospitals such as national and public hospitals are the cheapest, while private hospitals such as private university hospitals, medical corporation hospitals, and private hospitals are the most expensive. Private hospitals tend to have wide variations, especially in the high-end range.
At any hospital, if you are admitted to a private room instead of a large room, you will be required to pay an additional fee for the room charge. Additional costs will also be incurred if you develop gestational diabetes or gestational hypertension and need to be treated, or if you use labor stimulants.

The amount varies depending on the type of delivery.
For example, in the case of a caesarean section, the out-of-pocket costs tend to be lower because they are covered by health insurance, but the costs vary depending on the necessary procedure, so there are large individual differences. According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, ``the variation in the high price range for abnormal deliveries was greater than for normal deliveries.'' If you request a painless delivery, there will be an additional charge, which will add to the cost.

What do you need after your baby is born?

Immediately after giving birth, you will need baby clothes, diapers, bottles, and milk. Even if you breastfeed, there may be times when your baby doesn't produce as much milk as you would like, so you need to prepare milk.
If you plan to use your car when leaving the hospital, you will need to prepare a child seat in advance. Baby carriers are often used from around 4 months old, when the baby's neck can sit up, but some products can be used from the newborn stage, so it's a good idea to purchase them early.

Once you return home, baby bedding and bathing supplies such as baby bath and body soap are also essential items.

There are a lot of consumables, so each item costs a small amount, but when you put them all together, it adds up to a certain amount of money. It is better to look at around 30,000 to 50,000 yen. If you also prepare a child seat, it will cost an additional 20,000 to 30,000 yen. Depending on the type of baby carrier, a multifunctional one will cost around 20,000 to 50,000 yen.

Is there any other money needed?

Before and after giving birth, mothers undergo major changes in their body shape and physical condition, so we use clothes and underwear that are suitable for before and after giving birth. After giving birth, you will also need breast pads, birthing shorts, and pads to treat lochia.
There is a wide range of price ranges for prenatal and postnatal clothing. There are many types, so please choose according to your preference and ease of use. Some consumable items with a short shelf life cost only a few hundred yen.
If you are unable to cook due to morning sickness, you may end up spending more on food than usual. If you use a housekeeping service, you may need to pay for it.

Depending on the distance to the hospital, transportation costs may be required for prenatal checkups, infant checkups, and hospital visits. Depending on the season or your physical condition, you may need to take a taxi, which will increase the burden of transportation costs. If you return home to give birth, you will also need to pay for transportation back home.
Some local governments subsidize transportation costs for medical checkups and hospitalization during childbirth, so it's a good idea to find out if this is available in your area.

Is there any administrative support available?

We have already mentioned that there are subsidies for prenatal check-ups and transportation expenses, but there are also various public support systems, such as childbirth and childcare lump-sum grants and childbirth expense loan systems.
Generally, medical examinations and procedures related to childbirth are not covered by insurance, but if treatment is required, such as for severe emesis or threatened miscarriage, it will be covered by the high-cost medical care fee system if the amount exceeds the monthly co-payment limit. Also, childbirth expenses are eligible for medical expense deduction, so apply if necessary to reduce your burden.

If the mother is employed, she can also receive maternity allowance, which is 2/3 of the standard daily amount paid during the period she is absent from work to give birth.

It may take some time from applying to receiving benefits, and even if you receive compensation later, you may have to make the payments yourself, so it is best to calculate and prepare a budget.
When choosing a maternity hospital, it is important to have an easy-to-go location and compatibility with the doctor, but we also recommend that you also consider the costs of hospitalization and delivery.

♪All you need is this to prepare your baby carrier! Supports the life of holding your baby from the moment they are born♪