Health Insurance for Pregnancy

A young child sits on his mother’s lap and gently touches his mother’s pregnant stomach

Written by

|

Edited by

|

Reviewed by

Last Updated 05/08/2025
What changed?
Updated what is covered, procedure costs, and iSelect data
|
Fact checked
Our aim is to help you make better informed decisions. That’s why iSelect’s content is produced in accordance with our fact-checking and editorial guidelines.
|

Find out more about how we make money.

View our Privacy Policy.

Last Updated 05/08/2025

What changed?

Updated what is covered, procedure costs, and iSelect data
Our aim is to help you make better informed decisions. That’s why iSelect’s content is produced in accordance with our fact-checking and editorial guidelines.

Edited by

Ellie Garran

Reviewed by

Dr Jill Gamberg

Find out more about how we make money.

View our Privacy Policy.

How does health insurance for pregnancy work?

There’s no specific health insurance just for pregnancy, but coverage for pregnancy and birth is included in some hospital cover policies. This means the birth itself, plus obstetrics treatment in the lead-up to it. You can also find coverage for IVF (assisted reproductive services) on some policies.  

In 2024, almost 5% of iSelect customers told us their main reason for comparing their health insurance was because they were planning on having a baby. The average age of those planning to have a baby was 31.

What does health insurance for pregnancy cover?

When it comes to health insurance, it’s important to remember to check your policy documents for what you are and aren’t covered for.  

What out-of-pocket costs can I expect with health insurance for pregnancy?

Having a baby in a private hospital can be expensive. For this reason, it’s important to understand your coverage before choosing a policy. As well as your chosen excess, you might be expected to pay for all or some of:

  • your hospital fees
  • check-ups with your obstetrician
  • visits with a paediatrician
  • ultrasounds.

The good news is that some of these costs may be covered by Medicare. But there’s also potentially a gap between what a treatment costs and the cost it has listed on the Medicare Benefits Schedule. Unless your provider has a gap cover agreement with the hospital you choose, you’ll probably need to pay that too.

We’ve gathered some of the costs you might encounter for common pregnancy-related procedures as a private patient – or at least what they were in 2023–24. Depending on the procedure, sometimes your private health insurance chips in to help cover the cost; sometimes it’s just between you and Medicare. You might also initially pay more and have Medicare refund a portion of it.

Procedure Patients typically paid out of pocket % of patients with out-of-pocket costs 
Initial obstetrics specialist appointment  $174.00  81% 
Follow-up obstetrics specialist appointment  $99.00  69% 
Pelvic or abdominal ultrasound before 12 weeks  $175.00  50% 
Pelvic or abdominal ultrasound between 12 and 16 weeks  $246.00  83% 
Pelvic or abdominal ultrasound between 17 and 22 weeks  $288.00  90% 
Pelvic or abdominal ultrasound between after 22 weeks  $225.00  66% 
Vaginal delivery (no complications)  $420.00  38% 
Caesarean section (no complications)  $500.00  65% 

Sources: Medical Costs Finder – Caesarean section (no complications); Follow-up specialist appointment; Initial specialist appointment; MBS item 55700; MBS item 55704; MBS item 55706; MBS item 55718; Vaginal delivery (no complications),  

Note: These are the amounts patients typically paid for these services in 2023–24, rounded to the nearest dollar. They do not include hospital payments such as excesses, co-payments or other payments. These fees may vary depending on your situation. Not all patients had out-of-pocket costs; those who didn’t aren’t included in these figures. Data retrieved May 2025. 

Is it worth getting health insurance for pregnancy?

Pros

Icon illustration of cash surrounded by circular arrows
You can (potentially) stay in a private, nicer room

In the public system, you might need to share a hospital room with others, which could mean your partner can’t stay overnight with you. As a private patient, you’re more likely to get a private room after you give birth, whether you’ve opted for a private hospital or a public one. In a private hospital, you might also have access to more pleasant facilities. You may also get to stay in hospital a bit longer if you want to. Australians who gave birth in a private hospital in 2023–24 stayed 4.5 days on average. Those who opted for a public hospital only tended to stay for 2.8 days.2Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – Admitted patient care 2023–24 5: What services were provided?

Cons

hourglass timer
Icon illustration of a checklist next to a tick symbol
Tina Sendin - Digital Writer

‘While giving birth in a public hospital was such a positive experience for me (our midwives were absolute gems), a few extras would’ve made things even better. Having my own room would’ve been lovely (I shared with another new mum whose baby wasn’t a fan of sleep). Nicer meals wouldn’t have hurt either (my first dinner as a mum wasn’t particularly appetising). Staying a bit longer to ease into things would’ve made a huge difference, not to mention a proper bed for my partner so he could stay overnight with us.  

These perks you hear about with private patients would’ve been the icing on the cake for our first salvo into parenthood. Given our first experience, my partner and I are considering maybe becoming a private patient in the same hospital for the next kid.’

Tina Sendin
Digital Writer, iSelect

At what age are people planning to have a baby?

Everyone likely has a different idea of when the right time to start a family is. However, the average age of iSelect customers looking to start a family in 2024 was 31 years old. This lines up pretty closely to national figures, as the average age of new mums in 2023 was 29.9.3Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – Australia’s mothers and babies

When it came to preferred policy types in 2024–25, more of these customers were looking to take out a single female policy, followed by those looking for a couples policy.  

There is generally a 12-month waiting period before you can claim on pregnancy and obstetrics services. If you would like the option of giving birth in a private hospital and choosing your own obstetrician, it is important to take out or upgrade your health insurance policy before you start trying for a baby! Once you are already pregnant, it is too late to opt to have your baby privately – unless you’re prepared to self-fund the full out-of-pocket cost (which is very expensive). 

Dr. Jill Gamberg

GP, Coach and Lifestyle Medicine Physician

Frequently asked questions

What type of health insurance should I get for pregnancy?

What are the waiting periods for pregnancy health insurance?

When should I upgrade to a family policy?

Compare health insurance policies the easy way

Save time and effort by comparing a range of Australia’s health funds with iSelect

Need more help with pregnancy?

Public vs Private Hospital for Pregnancy

Should I go public or private when having a baby?

There’s plenty to recommend either hospital system, but it’s up to you to decide which is the winner for your care. 

Pregnancy & Health Insurance Waiting Periods

Pregnancy and health insurance: What are the waiting periods?

Planning ahead for pregnancy can be about more than nursery colours. It can mean serving health insurance waiting periods, too. 

Health Insurance For IVF

Health insurance for IVF

IVF could be how you choose to grow your family, and health insurance could help make that exciting change happen.

Extras Cover Benefits when Pregnant

Extras cover when you’re pregnant

From learning tips for labour to getting a massage, extras policies could help make pregnancy a little easier.  

iSelect does not compare all health insurance providers or policies in the market. The availability of policies will change from time to time. Not all policies available from its providers are compared by iSelect and due to commercial arrangements, your stated needs and circumstances, not all policies compared by iSelect are available to all customers. Some policies and special offers are available only from iSelect’s contact centre or website. Click here to view iSelect’s range of providers