This week, I outlined my experience of the different maternity care packages available in Irish hospitals in my piece Is Semi-Private Maternity Care Worth The Money?
I opted for semi-private on my first daughter; I went public when I had my son, and I went with private maternity care on my youngest daughter.
Overall, I was lucky to have had very positive experiences of each and couldn’t fault the care I received, but I am aware that it can often be very confusing knowing the differences between each. Naturally, our readers gave us the greatest insight into their own personal experiences so we felt we had to share. The options available to us in Ireland are:
1.Public
You don’t have to pay anything towards the cost of having your baby. You don’t get scanned as regularly; you don’t see the same doctor or midwife each time, waiting times are traditionally longer and you are on a busier ward.
2. Semi-private
If you choose to be a semi-private patient you will be seen by the same Obstetrician or specialist registrar for all your visits (other than when the Obstetrician is on leave or tending to an emergency.) Waiting times are supposed to be shorter. If you are admitted to hospital before labour, your care will be under the supervision of the Obstetrician on duty that day. You are entitled to be accommodated on a semi-private ward if there is a bed available which usually has between two and five beds in a room. Many charges for semi-private are covered under your health insurance, but you can expect to pay around €900 out of your own pocket, but this does vary between hospitals.
3. Private
You go to the same consultant Obstetrician and get scanned each time. You will be accommodated in a private room if there is a bed available. You can expect to pay between €3,500 to €5,000 euro, depending on the consultant’s fees. Some of these expenses you can claim back depending on your health insurance provider.
So, here’s the skinny from those in the know:
“I went semi-private in The Rotunda and would do the same in the future. It was four of us in the room, and I already knew one of the mums from induction room. I was only a c-section so stayed a night longer than the rest and found it lonely on my own in the room. We were helping each other with watching babies when someone needed to use the bathroom or take a shower. By the way, the Rotunda staff deserves 5* they were brilliant” Andrea Farrell
“I went public last year with my first baby & since then I’ve upgraded my health insurance to include a solid maternity benefits package to include a private room because I swore I’d never go public again. TEN women in my ward!! TEN!! I didn’t sleep a single moment for four full days!” Amy Fogarty
“I went semi – private in the Coombe on my last pregnancy but my insurance covered a private room which I got, I had a c section and for the room alone & the privacy (esp. With a four night stay) it was well worth it. But I was lucky to get it and of course, it’s not guaranteed. I’m having another c section this time and hoping I’ll be that lucky again!” Michelle Burke
“I went public with all three children in Portlaoise and had the same consultant for all three, on my last, I needed an emergency section and my consultant came back in during the night to be there, held my hand and kept me calm telling me I had to have a section. They knew the thought of it terrified me. I really couldn’t have been cared for any more than I was” Fiona Farrell-Ryan
“I went private on my first in Mount Carmel and semi-private on my second in Holles Street. I was never any longer than an hour at my appointments, and I had to get my bloods taken every time. I think it depends on what hospital you go to as each hospital has a different package. I ended up being sectioned on my second and was put in a semi-private room which I preferred as it was much brighter than private rooms. I could not fault the care and attention from the start of my pregnancy to the end in Holles Street. It was definitely worth paying for semi -private there and I would recommend it. If I was every to have any more I would do it again” Lauren Birch
“I went public with both my boys in the Rotunda and I can’t fault them. Midwives and nurses were great. Public ward was busy but managed to get some rest. Was only in for one or two nights on both births. Very thorough with checking baby and me. I was kept in the pre-labour ward on my second boy as I deliver quickly. This was attached to the delivery suite. Treated very well. Wouldn’t have felt it necessary to go semi or private and all visits were quick, with no long waits.” Sarah Coates
“I only had to think about my decision on the first baby. I went public in the Coombe and had an ultrasound scan at 12 weeks, 20 weeks and a mini-scan at subsequent visits. When the pregnancy was deemed high risk, (small baby) I saw a consultant on each visit from 27 weeks, she also delivered the baby. Nothing was left to chance. A potential risk with my 3rd baby was also handled with the greatest of care. If you don’t mind waiting times for ante-natal appointments and I didn’t mind a public ward either, then it is public in the Coombe all the way.” Deirdre Kavanagh
“I went public in CUMH and also used the midwives clinic. I couldn’t fault the care. Queues were short in the midwives clinic and all staff fantastic when I was in labour. I had some complications, so consultant and neonatal were called to attend and were brilliant. Was in a 2-bed room for the duration of my stay. Would do the same again!” Aileen Twomey
“I went public with my son in Mullingar. All of the wards have four beds with access to a bathroom within the room. I wouldn’t fault the care I received.” Ailish Bradley
“If anyone is having multiples I wouldn’t bother going semi-private. I went public with my twins. I was seen in a high-risk clinic after my first prenatal appointment. Queues were very short. Scanned each time and seen the same obstetrician each time. I was admitted to hospital two and a half weeks before the birth under his care. I saw him and his team every morning. I was given a private room for that time before the birth as the midwives said it was unfair for me to be there watching women come and go and for me to be still there. My section was moved forward for medical reasons, and my obstetrician was away at a conference that day so even if I was private wouldn’t have had him. I was put in semi-private four- bed ward for the three nights after. Granted it was a quiet time, but really was looked after to the best in University Hospital Galway.” Linda Lambert
