Maternity Insurance|Maternity Care|Postpartum Care

In the United States, there are currently approximately 41 million people who are uninsured. Throughout the health care debate, you have likely heard the statistics. Of this group, roughly 13 percent are women who are pregnant and due to either not having insurance or being under-insured, even, many will not get adequate prenatal care. Many insurance plans consider being pregnant a Prue-existing condition, and Medicaid only excepts pregnant women who meet certain income criteria, and this causes a great number to fall through the cracks. These women may make over the income guidelines and this causes a problem because pregnancy care is expensive- the average birth free of complications usually will cost around six to eight thousand dollars, alone. That's to say nothing of the extremely high cost of a high risk situation. A cesarean birth usually runs around $10,638. Though under Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, it is not technically a pre-existing condition, there may be some exceptions that cause a pregnant woman to be declined coverage. This is also only if the plan already includes maternity care, so, make sure that you're clear on exactly where you stand with your insurer or with a prospective insurer.

If you are a pregnant woman who is uninsured, there may be options available to you. Firstly, make sure that you are ineligible for Medicaid- some people believe that they may not be eligible, when they actually are. Also, on a state by state basis you may find that there are other options available to you by checking with your state's health department. There are also many health care discount programs out there that can help- doing some research on line and with your health care provider may help you to find those programs which can help you.

Another thing to consider as an option is a birthing center rather than a hospital. Many birthing centers will accept a non-complicated pregnancy on a sliding scale at a much lower cost than a hospital. Check around in your area to find out where the birthing centers closest to you are, and find out if perhaps you are able to utilize that option. Some hospitals actually also have a sliding scale program and if you speak to someone in the account office, and are willing to work out a payment plan for self pay patients.

These are just a few of the options you may be able to find if you are pregnant and uninsured. However, you may want to check with a few insurance providers before you decide that you cannot get coverage- not all insurance providers will consider you completely insurable, and some may offer insurance at perhaps a higher premium with some stipulations. You may also wish to ask about stand alone plans for pregnancy- some offer this and not too many people are aware that such options exist, so, when in doubt, make sure that you are asking about the coverage you need before you decide that you won't get it.

Hormone deficiencies or imbalances between the various hormone levels are the principal cause or a key indicator leading to underlying causes of most infertility. Generally, you won't know whether your hormones are okay until your gynecologist orders blood tests when you begin infertility diagnosis.

What Are Hormones?

Hormones are chemicals produced by your own body, in your endocrine gland, and are carried through your blood to various parts of your body to control or regulate body functions. They can affect your metabolism, growth, immunity, reproduction and other functions. Effects are mostly physical, but some emotional responses also may be influenced. Hormones aren't good or bad, they are just there in your body, and have to be checked and treated if the levels are keeping you from becoming pregnant.

Hormone levels are measured by the lab where your blood and urine samples will be collected. They may be tested at multiple times during your cycle. The most important hormones affecting you fertility include:

- FSH - follicle-stimulating hormone - crucially important for development of follicles in the ovaries that lead to egg production
- hCG - human chorionic gonadotrophin - made after conception that stimulates production of progesterone (another hormone) needed to support pregnancy
- LH - luteinizing hormone - necessary to support the production of estrogen and progesterone and needed for release of ovulation-ready eggs
- Estrogen - supports the production of uterine lining which is needed for firm implanting of the fertilized egg

Male Hormones

For your partner, diagnosing infertility may simply be completed by a semen analysis ordered by a urologist. If the lab-collected sample shows semen that passes standards for quantity and quality, there is no further diagnosis required. He would be deemed fertile because he is able to deliver what he must supply for conception to occur.

If the analysis shows abnormalities, however, his blood will be tested for testosterone - the main male hormone - and also for levels of LH and FSH because they may affect sperm quantity and quality.

Hormone Functions and Timing

Knowing terminology of phases within your menstrual cycle can help you understand how your hormones function and interact. Menstrual cycle phases:

- Follicular - days 1 - 13 days (day one is the first day of menstrual flow)
- Ovulation - days 14 - 17
- Luteal - after ovulation, days 18 - 29

During the follicular phase, follides in your ovaries normally produce one mature egg. Doctors may treat low-FSH patients with an injection of Gonal-f to improve the likelihood of egg production. And the doctor can inject LH if you have low LH levels. Estradiol (another hormone) will also be monitored to prevent early ovulation. If it is too high, the doctor can inject Cetrotide to slow down ovulation until the egg is mature.

During ovulation, your LH should peak to ensure sufficient levels of estrogen and progesterone for fertilization to occur. During this phase, you should engage in frequent intercourse to increase your chances to fertilize the egg.

During the luteal phase, your progesterone level can be monitored to ensure the uterus will be ready to receive and implant the fertilized egg. If your progesterone is low, the doctor can prescribe medication to raise the level.

Summary

If your doctor finds hormone deficiencies or imbalances, they can usually be treated successfully by taking prescribed medication or getting hormone injections. You can usually expect to become pregnant without further treatment.

Whether you have decided to become a surrogate mother, or you are looking to find a surrogate mother, the question of what fees and costs intended parents pay for in surrogacy is a big one. Pregnancy, and an IVF pregnancy in particular, can be quite costly.

The short answer is, if it relates to pregnancy, the intended parents pay for it. These expenses can add up fast. The following lists some common fees that intended parents pay.

Insurance
If a surrogate mother has her own health insurance, that does not exclude surrogacy, then this should be used. The intended parents should NOT reimburse her for her regular insurance, but should pay for a policy if she does not have one.

Medical Expenses
All medical expenses that are not covered by a surrogate mother's health insurance will be the responsibility of the intended parents. This includes if she loses her health insurance, or if the provider decides not to pay for the pregnancy.

Clinic Fees
All fees from the IVF clinic (not used in traditional surrogacy) are the responsibility of the intended parents. This also includes all medications and all tests the clinic requires of the gestational surrogate mother.

Attorney Fees
Both the intended parents' attorney and the surrogate mother's attorney will be paid for by the intended parents. They will also need to pay all legal fees associated with the birth of the surrogate baby.

Agency Fees
If an agency is used, all the fees should be paid by the intended parents. This fee can be avoided by finding an independent match.

Surrogate Fees
The fees that the traditional or gestational surrogate mother requires will be outlined in the surrogacy contract. The intended parents are responsible for all these fees, as they are described.

Miscellaneous Fees
Things like travel, childcare, lost wages, prenatal vitamins, and doctors office copays should be paid for by the intended parents. The surrogate mother should receive reimbursement on these items in addition to her compensation.

The expenses that intended parents are responsible for can be quite large, and more than intimidating. If you are considering surrogacy as a solution to creating your family, it is best to research these fees and be prepared in advance.

It is not unrealistic to assume that added up, all of these various fees can come to more than $50-100,000. It is so hard to put a better number on it since each situation is different.

Lawyers may charge more in one state than another. An experienced gestational surrogate mother will request more in compensation than a first time traditional surrogate mother. A pregnancy might not be achieved on a first IVF transfer but may require three cycles, or four.

And even after all the big expenses are paid, there are a myriad of smaller, everyday items that add up over time. Maternity clothing, prenatal vitamins, pregnancy tests. These things cost money.

A surrogate pregnancy can be a very expensive undertaking. But in the end, having your own child to hold in your arms is worth it.

Gender selection is not a new concept; people have been trying to influence whether they have a boy baby or a girl baby for hundreds of years. Fortunately we now know a lot more about how our bodies work and for this reason we can influence our baby's gender or sex in many ways including what sexual position we use.

Why This Method of Getting Pregnant With a Boy Works

As you probably already know, it is the male or rather his sperm that is responsible for whether you have a boy or a girl baby. The Y chromosome sperm (boy sperm) is very fast and can reach the egg quickest in a race, but they don't live long and can often die within a day or two. The X chromosome sperm (girl sperm) live a lot longer (sometimes up to five days) and can reach the egg at any time, often once the boy sperm have already died off.

That means that timing is important in getting pregnant with a boy. The closer you can have sex to when you ovulate - when the egg is released - then the more chance you have of getting a boy baby.

Best Sexual Position to Conceive a Boy Baby

So now that you know that you have to have sex as close to ovulation as possible so that the Y sperm reaches the egg first there are also a number of sexual intercourse positions that can help improve your chances of getting a boy.

The most common is the rear entry position (often called the doggie position). This is where the woman is either in all fours position kneeling on the bed or floor and the man enters her from behind, or she is lying on her stomach with her legs kneeling on the bed or floor. This gives access to deep penetration and so the sperm is deposited right at the entrance to the cervix. Since they are not very strong, the Y sperm has a shorter distance to travel and will more likely reach the egg first and you will conceive a boy.

Over 80% of women experience mood instability during the postpartum phase, the mildest of which is called the "baby blues". Symptoms of the baby blues include mood swings and crying, which fades relatively quickly. However, in some cases, baby blues can progress into Postpartum Depression, which occurs in 10% to 20% of postnatal women. Postpartum Depression is a moderate to severe depression that occurs in a woman after giving birth. In very rare cases, Postpartum Depression can lead to Postpartum Psychosis, a very serious illness that involves hallucinations and delusions, among other symptoms. By paying close attention to your body, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing Postpartum Depression.

The following are tips to help in avoiding Postpartum Depression:

1. Rest, rest, rest: This is much easier said than done, right? However, fatigue is a major contributing factor in the development of Postpartum Depression. Women should rest when their baby is sleeping. This is not the time to do the laundry, clean the bathroom and wash the dishes. In fact, try to do these things while your baby is awake, calm and alert. Find a safe place, nearby, for them to stay while you do the household chores. Better yet, elicit help from your partner, friend or family to get the work done. You can, instead, try to use this time to eat or bathe; a baby can go with you into the bathroom and stay safe in a portable car seat, cradle or Pack 'n Play. Common signs of sleep deprivation include poor concentration, memory loss, social ineptness, tiredness and irritability (many of which are also signs of depression).

2. Proper Nutrition: It is no secret that fatty foods and empty calories are not good for the postpartum woman (or anyone for that matter) but did you know that certain healthy foods can help to improve your mood almost immediately? The brain is highly responsive to the foods we eat. In fact, the neurotransmitter, Norepinephrine, which affects your mood, is regulated by Vitamin C. Oranges, strawberries and other citrus fruits are rich in Vitamin C. Red peppers and bell peppers contain even more. Eating one of these fruits or vegetables can instantly elevate your mood. Reach for a piece of fruit as opposed to a fatty snack. Don't forget your green, leafy vegetables (easily obtained in a bag of salad) and be sure to drink adequate amounts of water; stay away from caffeine and soda pop.

3. Lower Your Stress Level: Again, this is easier said than done. However,

a. For money issues, when increasing income is not an option, lower your spending (check out the book, The Complete Tightwad Gazette, by Amy Dacyczyn. It is full of tips on easy ways to save and cut back on your spending).

b. If possible, distance yourself, at least temporarily, from stressful relationships.

c. Try not to take on too many activities and commitments. Now, more than ever, is a time for you to put yourself and your immediate family first.

4. Make Quadruple Batches of Meals: When taking the time to make a meal, increase your effort by a relatively small margin and make four batches instead of one. Have the second batch as leftovers and freeze the other two batches for a quick, already-prepared, healthy family meal. Even when you are making a sandwich, make two or three; put the other ones in the refrigerator and they are ready for you to consume within the next few days.

The care of the person with a thyroid disorder in today's healthcare environment is inefficient at best and is worthy of malpractice at its worst.

Let me explain.

The vast majority of thyroid problems are underproduction of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland.

It is estimated that approximately 1 in 10 people you meet has a low functioning thyroid gland which is called hypothyroidism. The symptoms of a low thyroid output can be global as the thyroid hormones determine the basal metabolic rate of all cells in the body.

What does that mean?

It means that the rate at which your cells respire, take in nutrients, pump out waste products is determined by how much thyroid hormones you have any any one time in your body.

Low thyroid hormone amount in your bloodstream= slowed down ability to function.

This affects everything: speed of digestion, speed of cognition, speed of recovery, etc, etc. This is why hypothyroidism can have symptoms like brain fog, depression, constipation, unexplained weight gain and coldness.

There are 2 predominant models in today's healthcare environment: medical and alternative.

In the medical model, no thought is given to why a persons thyroid is not functioning well, the only treatment is to give thyroid replacement hormones until the message from the brain to the thyroid which is called thyroid stimulation hormone or TSH, is normalized usually at a value of about 2-3.

The alternative model for hypothyroidism is not about thyroid hormone replacement, it is instead fixated on iodine and tyrosine supplementation to allow the thyroid to make more thyroid hormones.

Additionally, thyroid glandulars and co factors are added to insure no nutrient deficiency exists for thyroid production.

Here is the problem.

Over 80% of all hyothyroid patients do not have a nutrient deficiency of iodine or tyrosine as their mechanism for low thyroid production. And, just giving thyroid hormones does nothing to counteract the basic mechanism that is in play for about 80% of all hypothyroid patients.

What is the mechanism?

It is an auto immune attack by your own immune system on your thyroid! This means that a gene in your body got switched on that tells your immune system to tag the thyroid gland for destruction.

When the immune system ramps up for for an auto immune attack, certain cell messengers called "cytokines" are released. These cell proteins or" cytokines" completely interfere with many aspects of thyroid physiology.

So, lets see how this information fits into the alternative and medical model.

The alternative model will try to get the thyroid to make more hormones by using nutrient combinations. The medical model will not care about the mechanism, just replacement hormones.

It is known that if you introduce iodine wholesale into a community, 2 things happen:

goiters go down and auto immune thyroids go up. So, iodine supplementation in the alternative model may precipitate an autoimmune disease of your thyroid! Or, fire up an auto immunity that was already present. This is definitely not the intended result.

In addition, if the mechanism for the low thyroid is autoimmune, giving iodine does not do anything to dampen the levels of cytokines in the body.

In the medical model, since the thyroid gland is being destroyed by the immune attack, thyroid hormones are prescribed. And while this may help a bit in the short term, it doesn't address the way the thyroid hormones are interfered with by the autoimmune messengers called cytokines. Therefore, you can have a person whose thyroid blood test looks normal but are experiencing many of the symptoms of a low thyroid person because the expression of the thyroid hormones is compromised by cytokines.

Neither approaches come close to helping the person resolve the symptoms associated with hypothyroidism.

Here is what does help.

Dampen the autoimmunity!

When you reduce the auto immune expression, you dampen the amount of cytokines, you improve thyroid physiology.

It's that simple.

Or, at least in concept it is simple. The real work in all of this, for me is to figure out the person's autoimmune triggers, and discover which sides of their T helper system to support. And if person needs thyroid hormone replacement, so be it. By the way one of the most profound triggers for flaring up autoimmunity is eating gluten and all of the other foods that cross react with it.

This approach has a profound effect on the quality of a hypothyroid person's life.

Now they have a way to decrease brain fog and weight, increase energy and motivation, have normal temperature, skin, hair and digestion.

Here is the final kicker: If a person had antibodies to the thyroid, there is over a 50% chance of them demonstrating antibodies to other tissues. These tissues can include nerve (MS), organs (lupus), joints (rheumatoid arthritis) and even brain tissue. Even hormones themselves can have an antibody reaction.

If the immune system flares up to tag the thyroid for destruction, what is happening to these other antibodies? You're right. They cause their own destruction of those tissues.

So, the key to most hypothyroid patients (about 80%) is to dampen their autoimmunity, not just give thyroid replacement hormones or a single nutrient to resolve their symptoms.

So, how do you do that? I will address that in a future e-mail.

Recognizing and treating the neuro-endocrine-immune system in about 80% of all hypothyroid patients is is the most efficient model for hypothyroidism today.

What Is Pregnancy Calculator

When will my baby arrive? That is a common question asked by pregnant mums and is excited to know their baby's due date. Pregnancy calculator is a simple tool for those who wish to confirm whether they are pregnant or not. This is based on your menstrual period, symptoms that you have and the tests that you have done. Pregnancy normally lasts from 37-42 weeks from the first day of your last period. This is also used to figure out the due date and compute the likely conception date. This tool can also determine the end of the first and second trimesters, determine the weeks you've been pregnant, estimate foetal age, determine the weeks you are pregnant over a given date, estimate which date you'll be pregnant the particular number of weeks, and figure out the possible conception date when you realize the birthday or due date.

The Uses Of This Pregnancy Tool

An important use of pregnancy calculator is usually to figure out the due date and compute the likely conception date. This tool can compute the end of the first and second trimesters, determine the weeks you've been pregnant, estimate foetal age, determine the weeks you're pregnant using a given date, estimate which date you'll be pregnant the specified number of weeks, and figure out the probable conception date when you recognize the birthday or due date. Despite the uses of this tool, it is ideal to consult your health care provider as soon as you think you are pregnant. This kind of tool is fantastic to utilize together with an in depth week by week pregnancy calendar.

How To Calculate Your Due Date

Ovulation and fertilization occur on day 14 of a 28 day menstrual cycle. This is equal to 280 days since the start of the last period, before allowing for cycle length adjustments. A manual pregnancy calculator is based on the original formula observed by Franz Naegele, an obstetrician and German professor in the 19th century. The formula shows that it should work back three months from the day of a woman's last period and add a year. A more accurate pregnancy calculator can be gained by the use of ultrasound scans. The ultrasound is non-invasive and it is used to check the baby's condition. The radiographer measure the size of the growing embryo to predict the likely birth.

Additional Tips:

A normal pregnancy usually goes to full term that normally lasts from between 38 and 42 weeks. However, you should bear in mind that the average month is for weeks and several days long, not precisely four weeks. For this reason, your health care provider compute how many weeks pregnant you are, as measuring pregnancy by weeks is a far more accurate means to determine length of pregnancy.

Most calculators are based on a gestational period of 40 weeks from the first day of a woman's last menstrual flow. This is estimated by a woman's ovulation and conceives approximately 2 weeks after the first day of your last menstrual flow and carries the baby for 38 weeks.

If you're currently unemployed and without health insurance or you have a job that does not provide you with health insurance coverage, you may need to consider getting yourself a catastrophic health insurance coverage plan. Catastrophic health insurance is setup to cover major health problems and normally has high deductibles and low monthly premiums.

With a catastrophic coverage health plan, you will normally have to pay out of pocket for doctor office visits and prescription drugs, but major expenses are covered. These types of expenses may include hospital stays, surgery, intensive care, lab tests and X-Rays. You will rarely find pregnancy and maternity care covered on these types of plans.

Catastrophic coverage may be purchased individually or as group plans. You will have to pass pre-existing medical condition screenings. This means coverage for conditions you had prior to getting coverage wouldn't be covered. A few examples might include diabetes, emphysema, heart disease and cancer (but there are countless more possibilities).

Normally, catastrophic medical insurance coverage is purchased by healthier people in their 20's and sometimes for people nearing the retirement age (50-65 years of age). It is also a popular alternative for self-employed individuals who don't have a health insurance plan.

Should you get a catastrophic health insurance plan? That depends. If you are healthy with no pre-existing conditions and you do not have access to another health plan, you may be a good candidate for a catastrophic coverage plan. Also, if you are an older adult with no health problems and you just need piece of mind insurance coverage to protect your for major catastrophes (like heart attacks, cancer, etc.), then this type of coverage could be right for you. If you don't fit these criteria, you might consider other options.

What should you look for in a catastrophic coverage plan? Consider the following when comparing catastrophic policies from different insurance providers:

• The cost of the premiums


• The cost of the deductibles and your maximum out of pocket expense


• The level of coverage


• Whether or not you can afford to pay for prescriptions and office co-payments


• Do you have pre-existing conditions?


• Do you get sick often?

If you decide to look into a catastrophic health insurance policy, there are many ways to do so. You can contact your local health insurance independent agent or look for a company online to provide you a quote. It's a good idea to compare multiple insurance providers before making your decision.

You know you need to hire a confinement nanny to take care of you and your new baby after birth, but actually selecting a nanny or nanny service can be a difficult task. If you don't know how to go about selecting and hiring your confinement nanny, the following tips will give you some food for thought.

Determine Hours

How often do you want your confinement nanny to be in your home? Would you like to have someone live in with you for a short period of time, or would you prefer someone be there for given hours during the day when your spouse is away and you are will be alone? The time requirements for every home are different, so give some thought to how demanding you will be of your nanny's time. This will determine which nanny's are suitable for your home.

If you want a nanny that can be around for most of the day and night or want someone who can spend the night or live in for a short period, make sure this is clear when you are discussing your needs with confinement nanny services.

Determine Expectations

There are some things that are just expected from a nanny. They will help care for the baby and will allow you to get adequate rest to feel your best and recover from delivery. Yet, there are some negotiable terms that may vary from one nanny to another.

For instance, will you expect your nanny to cook meals for you? Will they be required to help clean your home? It's a question of how much help you will expect from your confinement nanny. You have to state these things clearly and ask what services and duties a nanny typically does when you talk with different confinement nanny services.

Be very specific in this area when talking with a potential nanny service. If they don't know what you expect they can't deliver everything expected!

Meet Your Nanny Early

Don't wait until you bring your baby home to meet your nanny. You want to find someone who you feel very comfortable with and who you trust with your baby. You will be spending a lot of time with them, so you don't want to find yourself in an uncomfortable situation or without a confinement nanny after the baby is born due to disagreements or personality clashes.

Ask to meet the nanny who will be in your home before you actually hire them. This will increase your comfort when you come home from the hospital and find them in your home ready to assist you.

Be Reasonable

Finally, be reasonable when hiring and working with a confinement nanny. They are there to help you and make your transition into motherhood smooth and as stress-free as possible. The kinder you are to them, the kinder they are likely to be to you and your newborn baby.

Be reasonable with what you expect from your confinement nanny and resist adding to their workload after you bring the baby home. If you have some needs you could not have foreseen prior to having the baby, discuss it with your nanny and workout an agreement on taking care of the extra duties.
A confinement nanny can become a confidant and friend if you treat them as such.

Health insurance plans are probably one of the hottest topics of the 21st century. It's the one thing families can't afford to be without, especially those with children, of child-bearing age, the elderly, or anyone with a chronic medical condition or a family history of serious illness looming overhead. And yet, for many families, it is the one thing they also can't afford financially.

If you're self-employed, you need to find your own health insurance. If you work for a small employer, it may not be offered to you. But even if you do work for an employer that offers it, many employer plans are extremely limited and do not provide the kind of coverage you really need for your family.

There are, however, many affordable health insurance options available on the open market today. But as a consumer, you need to do your homework. All health insurance plans are not created equal.

Often health insurance plans are available as single coverage, married coverage, single plus one, family coverage, or single plus two. But the differences between the various plans may incorporate more than just the number of people covered. For instance, many policies do not cover prenatal or maternity care or the delivery of a child. If you and your spouse are in your 60s and can't have any more children, that may be fine, but if you are of child bearing age and planning to have children, you need to make sure any health insurance you consider includes that coverage or you could have a whopping bill to pay on your own if you discover you're going to have a child.

Even if you aren't planning to have more children, if you have a minor daughter in her teen years, it's a good idea to be sure any plans you look at cover maternity expenses. Many a parent has been surprised to learn their daughter would soon be expecting a baby, though the pregnancy may not have been planned.

When comparing plans for health insurance, it's also important to look at wellness coverage, such as immunizations, annual exams, pap smears, mammograms, and physicals. These should be considered for coverage, in addition to the co-pay for prescriptions, doctor visits, walk-in care, emergency care, outpatient surgery, and in-hospital stays. The amount of the individual deductible and family deductible per year is also an important consideration.

Yes, good health insurance plans that meet the needs of your family are available, but you have to look for them, and you have to be sure you are comparing apples to apples when you look at plans from different providers. It's also a good idea to consider the reputation of the company or provider, because health insurance is no longer a luxury. It really is a necessity, and you need to know you can count on your provider when medical needs arise, without any unanticipated surprises. Always read the fine print and ask questions before purchasing a policy for you and your family.