Info on pregnancy in aus on PR

[Hanliedb]

Good day 

 

I hope someone will be able to help my with more information on having a baby. We are currently new in Australia and not completely sure how medicare works. I need to book a appointment for my first dating scan, would I be able a book it at a radiology that offers bulk billing? Or do I need to pay in the difference with every scan, we live near joondalup perth, what facility would be the best to use? 

 

Thanks in advance 

[Shellfish]

Hi Hanlie,

 

Congrats!

 

I had both of my children in Australia but we are in Melbourne. 

I used the private system, and therefore was able to choose my own Obstetrician, hospital and radiographer but this route is $$$.

To the best of my knowledge (someone may correct me on this) if you go public, you don't pay however you don't have a choice of midwives/obstetrician, when your appointments will be etc. 

I think your next step would be getting a referral from your GP for medical appointment and ulstrasounds etc on the public system.

If you want to go private, choose an Obstetrician (sorry, I can't help with that in WA) and ring their offices and explain your situation. 

 

All the best

[rozellem]

Definitely no need to go private.  My experiences with pregnancy/birth in Aus (Sydney), put my RSA friends's Mediclinic experiences to shame.  The hospital can do all your scans for you for free.  You just have to get in there quickly.  Speak to your GP if you haven't yet and they will give you a "calendar" on a A4 paper, that is basically a list of what, when and where you need show up for your appointments.  Tell your GP that you are "Concerned about costs" to make sure they send you the medicare way. We literally paid for parking at the hospital and nothing else.  Ask about pre natal services and groups, as well as postnatal services like mothersgroups.  You will be fine. 

[monsta]

First port of call is talk to your GP. He can explain your options when it comes to Hospitals and places to do your scans.

 

For example, on Sydney's North Shore... there is Ryde hospital that won't do a c-section, deal with anyone who is overweight or anyone with diabetes. But Royal North shore has the "baby ICU", they do c-sections and even have a clinic for gestational diabetes. They have more facilities than the private hospital. Your GP should know this info for hospitals in your area.

 

Once you have decided on a hospital, book in. You phone them up and they send you a bunch of forms. Ask them how to book for your scans and book for their pregnancy courses. At Royal North Shore they have a community health centre which runs courses that explain everything about having a baby at their hospital. They even walk you through the delivery suites and do courses on breastfeeding. 

 

Finally, Ask your GP about  http://www.mothersafe.org.au/. Mothersafe can tell you if a particular medication is safe for you to take while pregnant. You will have lots of questions like, "my mates are having a barbecue, is it safe for me to eat the meat?". If your GP agrees with me, then call mother safe in those cases. 

 

Oh and don't feel shy to book an appointment with your local GP to ask these questions. And *trust me* finding a GP who has had kids herself is a good idea. You can ask the receptionist at your GP offices if any of their GPs specialise in kids/babies and if they have kids of their own. A single guy GP in his 20s isn't going to be nearly as good with pregnancy as a lady in her 30s who had two kids at the local hospital

 

The hospitals (here in Sydney) are just trying to get through their long queue of people to see... but a good GP is worth his/her weight in gold! I would even call up several GP offices and hunt for the right GP.

Edited April 15, 2016 by monsta

[GandTash]

Hi Hanlie,

 

We arrived  3 months ago and my wife is going the public route (due in mid June) the first port of call should be a GP, they will then refer you from there, my wife was referred to Joondalup health campus, we went to a GP at Duncraig Medical Centre http://www.duncraigmedicalcentre.com.au/

 

Not sure which suburb you are in, their might be a closer GP if you google.

 

Shout if you have any more questions

 

G

 

[Hanliedb]

Good day everyone 

 

Thanks a lot for all the information, we went to the GP last week, she then referred me to a radiologist for a dating scan, and to go for blood tests, excited to announce that I'm 7weeks pregnant. After struggling more than 3 years. 

 

@GandTash thanks for the information I went for the scan at joondalup health campus.

[GandTash]

Congrats ! all the best.

 

If you have any questions or need any advice pop me a PM and I can give you my wife's contact details.