Maternity Insurance|Maternity Care|Postpartum Care

Health Risks for the Newborn

Infants born to teenage mothers are prone to accidental injury, poisoning, complications due to prematurity, learning disabilities, brain injuries, minor severe infections, or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The child usually has a weight less than the ideal and premature birth rates are prevalent among adolescent mothers.

Health Risks for the Mother

Given that an adolescent may not have fully developed her physical structure, problems in delivering the child may arise as caused by an underdeveloped pelvis. Early detection of a cephalopelvic disproportion is an indication for a scheduled cesarean birth. However this is a surgical procedure that may also put the life of the mother in danger for too much blood loss. Other complications that might be encountered by an adolescent mother upon childbirth is eclampsia, obstetric fistula or maternal death.

The absence of prenatal care and knowledge deficit with regards to psychological and physiologic changes of pregnancy results to varied complications and increases the health risks to a higher level. The teenage mothers do not know what to expect and therefore they do not know what proper behavior and precautions to make. Usually, these adolescents have poor eating habits and have no vitamin intake. They may even smoke, drink and take illegal drugs.

Statistical data of adolescent mothers who had a baby whose weight is lower than the ideal have been reported in the year 2002. 9.6% belongs in the age bracket of 15-19 years old, and 11.3% belongs in the age bracket of 15 years old alone. On the other hand, mothers who gave birth to babies weighing less than 5.5 pounds were 7.8% of the total population of women who gave birth in the same year.

In the year 2002 with regards to prenatal care, it is reported that 6.6% of mothers with ages 15-19 years old had no prenatal care and 3.6% of the total population of mothers have no record of any prenatal visits.

Other complications that a teenage mother might encounter are blood disorder such as leukemia and blood pressure that rises to an abnormally high level which could result to maternal death. And the incidence rate is higher on adolescents who are 15 years of age than on mothers with complications who belong to the age bracket of 20-24.

Within the annual report of 12 million people who are affected of sexually transmitted disease, 25% are young adolescents. When a mother with sexually transmitted disease (STD) gives birth to a child, several complications could arise such as blindness. But specifically death to the newborn and the mother may be brought about by syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

If you're employed part-time or full-time you more than likely have health insurance coverage through your employer. If you're not employed or your employer doesn't provide coverage for one reason or another then you have to buy your policy with your own funds and hopefully find the best low cost health insurance.

If you're self-employed or work in a job that doesn't offer any coverage then you are forced to buy your own health care insurance, either as an individual or for your family, to make sure all of your medical costs are taken care of. You will want to contact companies that offer low cost options for each of the three types of insurance in the marketplace. They are HMO, PPO and indemnity protection.

Whether you shop online or offline you want to shop around for the best health insurance quote. You will want to weigh your low cost concerns with your medical coverage needs.

So if you're thinking about having a baby within the next couple of years, make sure to choose a policy that covers maternity care. If you're in reasonably good health and don't take medicines or any drugs, you might consider taking out a less expensive policy that has no prescription drug coverage.

When you find the plan that seems right for you, make sure to look over the policy. If you don't understand any of the policy language or the coverage make sure you go over it with someone who does understand it.

You'll want to ask what the procedure is if you need to submit a claim and what paperwork you'll need to fill out. If you have a regular doctor that you want to see under you new health plan then make sure the visits to the doctor are covered. If you like to travel anywhere in the country or have close family members who live in other parts of the US then make sure that you'll be covered when you travel. This travel insurance add-on can come in handy.

If you need help finding the best low cost health insurance quote you'll find the cost can vary quite a bit. It's a good idea to get several quotes from companies online before you make a decision.

Some companies offer an online service so you can get quotes from several different insurance companies at one time. They usually work with some of the most well known companies to help you find the best low cost health insurance for you and/or your family. It's easy to do and saves a lot of time. This is the best way to get good quotes because you can compare them fast and eliminate those that don't need your needs.

There may be a number of reasons why someone might find themselves without any health insurance. One could be that where they work doesn't offer it or they have lost their job and they will soon no longer have the insurance. Although most jobs will allow you to keep your insurance you have through you job, it's only for a certain amount of time and generally it is extremely expensive. So you will need to be able to find some insurance as soon as you can so that you are not caught in a situation without it.

One of the quickest ways to check on health insurance and to get yourself some quotes and see if you can manage to include it in your financial management plans, is to go online to the different companies that offer policies. It's a good idea to find those sites that are going to allow you to compare a variety of different quotes from different kinds of policies so that you can see what might be the best value for your personal situation.

Once you have done this you will need to compare the different quotes that different companies have to offer. Sometimes it seems easier and is also very tempting to pick the first company that offers the cheapest monthly payments. However, it's not always a good idea for you to pick a company based solely on their price alone. You should also make sure to see how much the deductibles are and the amount of money out of pocket you will need to put out each year. Is the deductible too high and also you need to know if the policy has a coinsurance and a certain percentage you need to pay even after the deductible. Low monthly payments mean nothing if in the end you still can't afford to pay for your treatments when you are sick.

Make sure that you see what each policy covers. For instance you might be surprised what a policy does not cover if you are getting insurance just for yourself. One example is for a woman who may be single and may need maternity care but you might find on a single policy that there is no coverage for this. You need to be very careful when you read each policy.

After you have found the policy that you think suits your needs and one that you can afford you can then just fill out the application that most companies will offer online. Make sure that you have all of your medical records handy because you will need to fill in as much information as you can about your medical history in order to be considered for the insurance.

Once you have sent in the application they will generally want to have a follow up with you in person to make sure that they have all of the information about you correct. They may ask to see copies of your past medical records and if you don't have a copy don't be surprised to find yourself being asked a bunch of questions about every doctor visit, every hospital visit and every drug you have been on for the past five to ten years.

Once they have qualified you the best way to get your insurance started quickly is to either send in a payment with your credit card online or over the phone. Often times by doing it this way you will have your coverage within a week.

Whether this is your first c section or third one it is still a huge deal physically. While you are at the hospital, your cesarean after care will consist of mainly pain relief and wound monitoring. But what happens once you get home?

There is very little information given to Moms who have had c sections on how to care for themselves, their wound and cope with their baby. Here are the top three cesarean after care tips for once you get home because what you do when you leave the hospital will determine how well and how fast you recover.

1 - Support for You

For the first few weeks you will not be able to do many things that you once took for granted. You will need someone to help out with doing basic household things like hanging out washing, vacuuming, cooking and driving.

If you have more than one child this becomes critical to your recovery and to your ability to run the house. This is where people like your partner, mother, mother-in-law or other relative can really be of assistance in you Cesarean after care.

If you do not have anyone nearby to give you some help, then there are services available that will provide you with trained nurses and staff who will give you all the cesarean after care support that you may need. Hiring a local high school student or two is a great way of getting the help that you need cheaply.

2 - Wound Support

This is so important in your cesarean after care as over straining the muscles or your scar will cause damage and can lead to serious complications. This is especially important at times when your stomach is under direct pressure - like when you move, cough or laugh.

When supporting your tummy use both arms and a cushion against your tummy as you cough or when you move - especially when going from lying down to sitting and sitting to standing. When moving from lying down to sitting, make sure that you roll to the side first and gently raise yourself from there.

Another great support option that I found invaluable during my cesarean after care was a physical band that just kept the pressure on my tummy while the muscles were healing. Much like a support bandage that you can get for injured wrists or ankles. It just helped the damaged tissue to cope with everyday movement and really did help to speed up my recovery.

3 - Gentle Exercise

This may seem like a contradiction, but the biggest mistake that people make during their cesarean after care is to move as little as possible.

Believe me - I know that you have had major surgery, I know that it hurts and I also know that sometimes movement can make it hurt far worse. But you need to get moving. The longer you put it off, the slower and more painful your recovery will be.

We are not talking about you going into marathon training or anything like that, just small, slow gentle exercises and short walks. By doing these you will get the blood circulating and delivering all those essential nutrients to your damaged cells which will help them to heal faster and stronger for you.

You will also help all that fluid that has collected in your feet and legs to be reabsorbed faster.

After baby's birth, most mothers devote their time caring for their baby and ignore their health. It is important that mother's take proper care of their health. Here are few things which mothers must do to take care of their health:

Keep yourself clean as you are in close contact with your child. It is important for you to have a well balanced diet. Your diet should be a right combination of protein, calcium, minerals and iron. Vitamins tablets must be taken only after consulting the doctor. Constipation could occur during the first two or three weeks after the baby is born, so drink plenty of water and fruit juices. If you are unwell you must pay a visit to your doctor and feel free to discuss your problems. When you visit the doctor, you can also enquire about your baby's feeding and sleeping patterns.

Avoid exerting pressure on your body during the initial weeks after your baby is born. Mothers who put too much pressure on their body can face future health problems. Light housework and mild exercise are usually permitted but don't indulge yourself in heavy work or lifting heavy objects. Sexual relations are usually not advisable until six weeks after delivery. You must do simple and light exercise that may help you to regain your health and shape. It is recommended that you must visit your doctor for at least one examination after a month to check if there is any problem in your body. Only if the mother is healthy she can take proper care of their child so stay fit, healthy and happy.

Expectant moms normally opt to wear their typical clothes before shifting to maternity dresses. But the most common problem is that these pre-pregnancy clothes don't pretty much fit as they used toand they become too painful to button. If you have a favourite jean, skirt or a dress that is already uncomfortable to use because you are conceiving, belly bands for pregnancy is the right one for you.

These bands are made of soft and flexible material which stretches and grows with your tummy. Belly bands for pregnancy are specifically designed to offer back and lower belly support and to reinforce your pre-pregnant pants or skirt. If the pants you are wearing become too difficult to wear around your waist, apparently you'll wear them just around your hips or below. But you can't go out and show your unzipped and unbuttoned pants around.

Depriving yourself of wearing the pre-pregnancy clothes is absolutely not the solution, the bands will take care of hiding the bulky unfastened closures that you have in wearing skirts or jeans while pregnant. You will also have no problem about unhooking or the other way around because they have an elastic band closure. And if you are wearing too-loose maternity jeans these bands will hold as a belt, keeping your belly from pushing your pants down.

Being pregnant necessarily means being substantially heavy and bulky. Most often, you struggle to move easily without experiencing all sorts of pain.These bands are more importantly designed to make it easier for pregnant people to deal with or handle their pregnancy. These bands lift your abdomen and relieve your abdomen and lower back. These bands also take care of redistributing the weight of the baby making it easier for the wearer to carry the baby and her body balancely.

These belly bands are comfortable to use in any moment of the day. They are made of high quality materials, very safe and do not results to any inconvenience like irritation or discomfort. They are likewise intended to be worn from the early stages and throughout the whole duration of pregnancy and even after giving birth.

Belly bands for pregnancy are very economical. You don't have to buy a bunch of maternity dresses because you can actually use you pre-pregnancy clothes without discomfort the help of belly bands for pregnancy. Just give them a try and you won't regret it.

Discouraged with the high cost of health insurance? Want to find the cheapest price and still get complete coverage? Here's how to find the lowest cost health insurance quotes online with quality coverage in Arizona.

Arizona Health Insurance Plans

The most popular plans today for health insurance are the managed care plans. These plans consist of a network of doctors and hospitals which provide members with their health care needs. Managed health care plans vary from one policy to another so it's important to compare plans.

An HMO will give you the lowest premiums but there are some requirements and considerations.

• Most HMO plans ask you to choose a doctor that is within 30 miles of your residence.
  


• You should also find out what hospitals in your area, are under the HMO insurance plan you are considering.
  


• Many HMOs focus on preventive health care as a way to keep medical costs under control.
  


• Small copayments are usually required for doctor visits, and must be paid at the time of your visit.

Depending on your needs you may want to include coverage for items such as maternity care, prescriptions, and vision care. Managed care plans can vary quite a bit from insurance company to insurance company so look at each plan carefully before deciding on one.

Affordable Arizona Health Insurance Plans Online

One of the best ways to get affordable health insurance quotes in Arizona is to go to a free insurance quote website. There you can get competitive quotes from up to 5 health insurance providers so you can compare plans and prices. After you have your quotes, you need to look closely at the policies and decide which one is the best for you.

The growth of a baby in the womb is an amazing process that needs a keen follow up. This is important in order to prevent congenital childhood diseases or negative impact on the mother. Right from week one when all the systems have let go, there will be need to monitor the management of the pregnancy.

Therefore, every expecting mother needs to monitor the following week by week pregnancy signs:

Pregnancy signs and symptoms are divided into three major trimesters, the first trimester is three months long, and so are the second and the third. In a total, a normal pregnancy will take 36 weeks or nine months. There are however pregnancies that may have a premature delivery, say 28 weeks or even less. An infant born from the 28th week is mature enough to survive though it may need to be special care within a nursery.

The major milestones include:
繚 The first two weeks may go unnoticed save for an HCG urine pregnancy tests or uterine scan which may reveal the pregnancy. The mother will experience 'sickness' in the first four weeks. This include having nausea, have craving for certain foods, feeling of fatigue. There may be bleeding from the vagina of a brownish of pinkish fluid. Most women will detect the pregnancy between the 8th and 12th week after missing some monthly periods or visiting a physician to treat the above mentioned sickness. By the 12th week, the fetus heart may be detectable by a mother who is keenly monitoring the week by week pregnancy signs.

繚 The second trimester brings with it a slightly variant week by week pregnancy signs and symptoms. This starts with 13th week and comes with great relief for the mother. Most of the sicknesses experienced in the first 12 weeks will subside and the mother can feel more in control of their body. The belly may start to descend and be visible to other in a few women. At this stage, most women will start preparing for the baby by buying the clothes, beddings and other nursing materials required. This semester will continue and will have few week by week pregnancy variations until the 28th week.

繚 The 29th week will usher a new trimester, the third and the final. It also has its on set of week by week pregnancy signs and symptoms. The fetus will grow fast and the mother's tummy will grow rapidly too. In anemic mothers, there may be need for special foods to avoid going into clinical stress. From the 37th to 42nd week, the baby is ready for delivery.

During pregnancy a woman's body undergoes loads of changes, which mainly include extra weight gain and hormonal changes. According to nutritionists, for at least first three months of post pregnancy a woman should concentrate on eating healthy food instead of "weight loss". Reason being, the new born is completely dependent on the mother's milk; as a result there is nutrient depletion from the mothers body which will lead to other complications later like osteoporosis, if not taken care of in this phase. Many side effects are seen due to pregnancy, which can be taken care through proper diets. Some of those side effects include hair loss, stretch marks, and changes in the shape of the breasts. Along with physical changes a woman also undergoes a lot of emotional and psychological changes like change in sleeping pattern, getting emotionally attached to the new born. Managing household chores along with taking care of the needs of the newborn turns out to the toughest work for a woman post pregnancy.

Due to these changes in the surroundings, many women face the problem of insomnia, which further precipitates as frustration and stress. Excessive stress can lead to lack of breast milk production. Therefore, it is very important to provide the mother and the newborn child a stress free environment. This also helps the body to recover faster. After the first three months pass by, one should consult a dietitian to lose excessive weight, in a healthy way without crash dieting.

Tips to be followed in first three months of post pregnancy period

• Eat healthy and give time to your body to recover.


• Exercise in moderation to help the metabolism to function optimally.


• Exclusive Breast feeding is the best way to regain the pre pregnancy weight and shape.


• Concentrate on more of protein, vitamin and mineral rich food instead of calorie dense food.


• Do not heed to the myths linked to breast-feeding; like having excess fatty foods leads to good breast milk production etc.

Sometimes it seems for pregnant women that their belly is growing before their eyes, or, on the contrary, it's almost unnoticeable. Let's read experts comments on this question.

- Which factors sizes of belly during pregnancy depend on?

- Height of belly, i.e. height of uterus normally corresponds to the term of pregnancy. For example, on 32nd week of pregnancy it should be 32-33 cm. And volume of belly depends on a woman's individual peculiarities. Sometimes anatomic structure affects it: miniature women with slim pelvis have bigger belly, than tall women with full thighs have. But most of all growth of belly is connected with pregnant woman's general weight gaining. This is the factor which a woman should always pay attention to.

- Which weight gaining is considered to be normal?

- Every woman has her own individual norm. It depends on index of body mass, which can be calculated according to a special formula. Divide weight in kg on height in square meters. Normal index is from 19,8 to 25,9. If you're expecting twins, add at least 2,3-4,6 kg to this figures.
Majority of women gain 40% of weight during the first half of pregnancy, 60% - during the second. If a woman had normal weight before pregnancy, then in the first term she may gain 1,5-2 kg, during the second - 0,5 kg a week, and for the whole 9th month - no more than 0,5-1 kg. Weight should be increased evenly and little by little. Normal baby's development depends on this.

- What are the dangers of overweight?

- If a woman gained too much weight, both she and fetus may experience troubles. Excessive weight gaining - is one of the symptoms of late toxicosis, unhealthy state of a pregnant woman. Late toxicosis may lead to development of miscarriage threat. Under such circumstances, a woman begins feeling pains in waist and lower part of belly. In extremely serious cases premature delivery or premature placenta exfoliation may take place.

Moreover, overweight makes muscles work difficult. It also leads to edemas on feet, front abdominal wall, hands. Back and calf-leg muscles begin aching, blood circulation in legs' veins is gets broken, varicose disease becomes more intense. Pregnant woman gets tired more often and strong, becomes irritable. As for fetus, late toxicosis may cause chronic anoxaemia and even pre-natal death. Very full women's risk of such complications is higher.

- What can cause extremely quick weight gaining during pregnancy?

- Sometimes those who like eating well gain weight quickly. However, moderation in eating still does not guarantee normal weight. Too much liquid may accumulate in some women's organisms - for example, when kidneys work not well enough. So, if a pregnant woman gains weight too quickly, she should check quantity of liquid she drinks and evolves for day-and-night. Healthy woman evolves more liquid, than she drinks. And accumulation of liquid in organism leads to overweight. Then not only external organs, but also internal become swollen. Placentas' edemas are especially dangerous: they break normal fetus development.

- How can a pregnant woman get rid of edemas?

- While visiting maternity welfare centre, she should pay careful attention to recommendations concerning regimen of nutrition, which a doctor will give to her. As a rule, doctors advice all pregnant women to limit salt, piquant, fried and fat products consumption. The matter is that these products contribute to liquid accumulation in organism and lead to edemas. Once in 10 days it is recommended to arrange fasting days. Of course, this does not mean a pregnant woman should go without food. Hunger is categorically contra-indicated to a future mother. During fasting days a pregnant woman should restrict herself with certain products, for example, apples, cotton cheese, kefir, meat in strictly determined quantities. Moreover, she should observe confinement to bed - this improves liquid excretion out of organism. Diuretic herbs also help a lot. However, she should not restrict quantity of liquid drunken suddenly. She should drink no less than 1,2-1,5 liters per day-and-night.

- It turns out that it's rather simple to struggle with edemas?

- Unfortunately, not always. Weight gaining depends on kidneys' work in many aspects. Thus, for example, weight is gained quickly if a woman has chronic urolithiasis, chronic pyelonephritis. Sometimes pyelonephritis appears already during pregnancy. As hormonal background is changing during this period. Organism begins producing more of a hormone, contributing to urinary tracts dilation. And various infections come to kidneys through these open gates. That's why all pregnant women should pass bacteriological test of vagina's excretions, control urine analyses constantly.

- What if a pregnant woman has too big fetus and this explains her overweight?

- Such thing happens sometimes. But this may testify of another problem. Very often women suffering from diabetes have big fetus. If a woman herself was born being big, then she needs to check sugar content in blood and urine, as diabetes can proceed also in latent form. Sometimes diabetes appears already during pregnancy. Again because of hormonal background change. Such pregnant women are in a risk group - even if heightened sugar content was shown only on one of several tests. By the way, overweight during pregnancy often force obstetricians to use Cesarean section.

- On which terms sudden weight gaining is specially unwanted?

- Excess weight gaining is especially dangerous in the second half of pregnancy, to be more exact, since 20th week. And the earlier such complications happen, the more difficult confinement a woman will have.
That's why we recommend women to take care of their weight, take arterial pressure on both hands and urine tests. If a woman has late toxicosis, as a rule, her blood pressure increases and albumen appears in urine. If all 3 symptoms are found - edemas, heightened blood pressure and albumen in urine - a woman is urgently hospitalized.

- Probably my question will surprise you. Is it possible to "adjust" a size of fetus somehow?

- I think, yes. Balanced nutrition, including products, rich in animal and vegetable proteins, vitamins, minerals, is necessary for this. A woman should take vitamin preparations for sure. Of course, these are copy-book truths, but a woman observes these rules not always, for this or that reason.

- Apparently, size of belly depends also on quantity of amniotic fluids? Does liquid a woman drinks influence them?

- No. Reasons of excess of amniotic fluids are quite other: diabetes, anomalies of fetus development, Rhesus-conflict, infectious complications. If a woman has little amniotic fluids, this quite often means she will give birth to a post-mature baby.

- Probably, too small belly is better, than too big?

- No, I would not say that. Insufficient weight gaining often leads to defect of fetus development, giving birth to a very small baby, premature birth, and sometimes even to death of a new-born. Pregnant women should strive for "golden middle".
By the way, American scientists noticed that women with optimistic view on life give birth to babies of small weight less often. Experts explain that optimist women take care of their health better: do exercising regularly and eat well.

- Is there a straight dependence between a pregnant woman's emotional state and excess kilograms?

- Probably, there is. You know, being under stress situation, some women begin eating any food they see and emptying fridge. Here goes excess weight. And, on the contrary, other women just cannot eat at all in stress situation. That's why it's so important for close people and future mother herself to take care of her stable, calm emotional mood.

Approximate allocation of weight gained during pregnancy

Baby 3,5 kg

Placenta 0,675 kg

Amniotic fluid 0,8 kg

Increased uterus 0,9 kg

Breasts 0,45 kg

Volume of mother's blood 1,5 kg

Intracellular fluid of mother 1,4 kg

Adipose cellulose of mother 3,25 kg

GENERAL WEIGHT INCREASE 11,9 kg

Planning ahead for your future is easier said than done, especially when it comes to making sure that your future health is in good hands, and unfortunately many South Africans believe that proper health care is far out of their reach, and financial bracket.

But worry no more, as One Plan Health Insurance is aiming to prove this perception wrong by offering affordable and comprehensible health care to all South Africans. And with various plans available there is sure to be one to suite your needs and your pocket.

Here is a look at the comprehensive Health Plan from One Plan Health Insurance.

What the One Plan Health Insurance Health Plan Offers You

For only R 245 a month a single member on the One Plan Health Insurance Health Plan will receive R8?210 worth of cover per year. This includes doctor and dentist visits, scripted medication, repeat scripted medication, radiology, pathology and maternity and pre-birth care.

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Under this plan you will also enjoy great eye care benefits, including a frame, comprehensive eye test and specially cut lenses. You will also enjoy the benefits of the Personal Protection Program, which means that in the case of crime related traumas you will be able to receive telephonic or face to face counselling, trauma related legal assistance and in the case of domestic violence you will have access to shelter facilities.

You will also be covered in the case of accidental exposure to HIV and will be give two free blood tests and 31 days free anti-retroviral or prophylactic treatment. This means that the One Plan Health Insurance Health Plan covers you and your family in the vent of almost any medical issue.

And by using your Onecard you will have your benefits paid directly to your card, where you will be able to use it at any medical facility.

Who Will Benefit from the One Plan Health Insurance Health Plan?

With the very competitive price of the One Plan Health Insurance Health Plan everyone under the age of 65 years will be able to benefit from the cover that it provides.

A value added bonus to all One Plan Health Insurance members is that you will get 24 hour access to their emergency helpline, and in the event of a justifiable emergency the insured member will be transported by ambulance to the nearest medical facility.

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If you have a healthcare plan through your employer or your spouse's employer, odds are you have some form of medical insurance motherhood coverage. Most employer-sponsored medical insurance plans provided by larger insurance companies include, at the least, minimal coverage for prenatal care and delivery. Smaller insurance companies and some managed care plans may not include coverage for pregnancy and delivery, but as a general rule of thumb, employer plans include maternity care. Typically, reproductive health such as infertility treatments or elective procedures such as tubal ligations are not covered under a standard insurance policy.

Individuals with private medical insurance plans may or may not have coverage for maternity or prenatal care. In such cases, a maternity coverage rider must be added to the policy prior to pregnancy in order for expenses to be covered. Even with a maternity rider, coverage may be limited to delivery only. Some health insurance maternity coverage riders will cover prenatal visits on a limited basis. For example, the plan may cover routine doctor visits, blood tests, and typical lab work. However, the plan may not cover certain tests like ultrasounds or amniocentesis unless a physician or healthcare practitioner deems the test medically necessary.

In terms of medical insurance motherhood coverage, there is no guarantee that any one policy, either private or employer-sponsored, will have such coverage as part of their standard policy. In fact, some employer-sponsored healthcare plan options allow for employees to select a plan based on various factors, such as whether they wish to have maternity coverage. Certain plans offered by an employer may cover maternity expenses, but have higher premiums than plan options without such coverage. Likewise, with private insurance, there are also numerous plan options, some of which may include maternity coverage while others do not.

As a general rule, medical insurance motherhood coverage will increase a plan's premiums. Whether an individual or family opts to have maternity coverage added as a rider to a standard policy, or selects a plan that includes maternity coverage, increasing the number of conditions covered under a health insurance policy normally increases the premiums. For those without healthcare coverage, the expenses for a typical pregnancy can range from $7,000 to $15,000. In light of such expenses, it may be worthwhile to invest the additional premiums to have maternity coverage. This is especially true in the event of complications such as the need for a C-section.If you need assistance in locating particular coverages at a pre-determined price, we can help save 50% on health insurance.

If you are seeking a method to save some money on health insurance, you may want to think about gaining a catastrophic health insurance plan. All at once, while a catastrophic health insurance plan could save money, it is not of necessity the best option for everybody. For that reason, you ought to cautiously consider the pros and cons of this kind of health insurance coverage so as to decide if it is appropriate for you.

Catastrophic insurance is a form of policy which is particularly planned to cover up calamities. It typically has a very high deductible and a low payment.

It is intended to assist people pay for main accidents and wide medical care. The expenses of prolonged or emergency treatment could obtain fairly high, and this coverage could make sure that someone does not go bankrupt coping with medical bills.

A main or catastrophic medical insurance plan, even though being rather speculative, is quite cheap but is deductible too. The money that you shell out from your own funds before the insurer meets ups the equilibrium is the deductible.

The catastrophic health insurance plan is intended to cover up merely against main hospital costs rather than day-to-day medical costs. It will not as normal cover up doctor's visits, maternity care, or prescription drugs. The cover typically keeps out mental health conditions, substance abuse and a number of pre-existing medical conditions.

If you make a decision to pursue a catastrophic health insurance plan, you ought to understand that the majority of them do not cover up most of the expenses of pregnancy care as well. Hence if pregnancy is likelihood, ensure to check if pregnancy coverage is obtainable with your plan. A number of catastrophic plans don't cover up maternity care for a filled year after your effectual date.

People who purchase catastrophic health insurance be inclined to fall into two groups: young adults in their 20's and older adults ages 50 to 65. Young adults who pay money for catastrophic coverage are typically self-employed or have no coverage owing to their employers.

Should you find a catastrophic health insurance plan? If you are healthy with no pre-existing conditions and you do not have right of entry to another health plan, you might be a good applicant for a catastrophic coverage plan. In addition, if you are an older adult without health troubles and you just require piece of mind insurance coverage to look after your main catastrophes (such as heart attacks, cancer, etc.), then this kind of coverage can be appropriate for you. If you don't match this criterion, you may think about other alternatives.

Health insurance is very hot topic currently debated in American politics. Even American politicians are paying attention to consumer difficulties about getting a decent health insurance for individuals, families and businesses. Important thing to note is not spend most of your earning on getting health plan for yourself and your family. Look for discounted health plans for individuals and families.

One of the advantages of applying online for discounted health insurance is to compare health insurance quotes and benefits before you actually buy one for your self. There are available discounted plans with low and high deductibles based on individual's health, age and previous health history. Some of these plans have low premium and low deductible and co-payment when visiting doctor's office. The key to get a discounted insurance plan is to minimize risk for insurance carrier. Once Insurance carrier recognizes your low risk in return it rewards with you low premium on health insurance and with low deductibles.

What to watch in your Discount health insurance plan

• Doctor's visit and Co-payments


• Lab Charges


• Hospital Care


• What drugs are covered under your plan, especially if you have medical conditions?


• Maternity Care


• Vision Care


• Dental Care


• Annual Deductibles


• Prescription Drugs


• Chiropractor and therapist visits

The discounted health plans are designed for individuals, families, groups and businesses to save on money on medical, dental and hospital facility bills. Some of these plans restrict you to certain medical facility in exchange of lower premium and deductibles. The key is working with insurance carrier to minimize their cost and in return consumer is benefited with lower rates. These discounted plans can save on average from 10 percent to 30 percent in medical cost and in some cases more than 30 percent.

"Applying online for an insurance plans has its own benefits. First your online application is in your control you can check instantly on web to track status on your application. You can compare plans by benefits, fees, deductibles and co-payments. Most of the discounted insurance plans cover annual exam, routine check-ups, prescription drugs, emergency services, laboratory services, acupuncture. Chiropractor and hospital visits. "

While applying one should keep personal need in view. People with health issues should check on benefits and the things they need for their medical care are covered under insurance and how much will be deductibles and co-payments for doctors and hospital visits. Young adults with no medical history can opt for semi coverage which covers basic and essential benefits and this will bring down their insurance premium.

At the end needs for individuals and families differ based on their medical needs. Applying online for discounted health plans gives you leverage to compare on premium, coverage, benefits and insurance carrier's rating etc.

Every pregnant woman has to deal with that feeling of unattractiveness, which comes with the hormonal changes that go on during pregnancy. The good news is that pregnant women today no longer have to deal with drab maternity clothes, which can really make things harder as far as matters of looking good are concerned. With a great number of options, pregnant women can enjoy considerable freedom in choosing clothes, from dresses to trousers, that make them look and feel good as well.

If you're pregnant, then you know that it's important to do some walking to help keep you and your baby pregnant - and the delivery easier. To allow you greater comfort when you're at work, doing errands, or just getting some fresh air, wear a reliable pair of maternity trousers. These trousers can help you move around without difficulty since there's more room in the leg area and you won't have to take as much care as you would when you're wearing a skirt.

If you're expecting, then you also know that nursing dresses are very important. They can make things easier for you once the baby arrives. As you know, breastfeeding is still the most recommended means of feeding infants; you'd definitely want to try that out so your precious bundle of joy can have the benefits that breastfeeding offers. But to be able to pull that off wherever you are, whether you're enjoying family life at home or out in a public place like a mall or a restaurant, you'd need to have maternity dresses for nursing purposes. They can provide convenience, protection, and a little privacy.

Health insurance rates in Florida are some of the highest in the nation. Here's how to find the cheapest Florida health insurance quotes from top-rated companies.

Florida Health Insurance Plans

There are two types of health insurance plans:

* Indemnity plan - This plan lets you choose your physicians and pays for for all or part of your medical expenses. This is the most expensive health insurance plan.

* Managed care plans (HMOs, PPOs, POSs) - These plans set you up with a network of health care providers and hospitals, and pay for medical expenses within that network. Depending on the plan, you pay all or part of your out-of-network expenses. These plans are the least expensive health insurance plans, with HMOs being the cheapest.

Health Insurance Coverage

Whatever plan you choose it should include the following coverages:

* Hospital coverage - Pays for your room, board, and medical services when you're hospitalized.

* Surgical coverage - Pays for surgeons fees and other surgical expenses.

* Physicians coverage - Pays for your physician's office visits and your physician's hospital visits.

* Major Medical coverage - Pays for medical expenses from a catastrophic injury or illness like cancer.

In addition to the above coverages you may want your plan to include prescription drug coverage, dental care, vision care, mental health care, and maternity care.

Compare Rates

The best way to get the least expensive health insurance quote is to comparison shop. There are a number of online sites that let you compare quotes from different companies so you can choose the best quote and the best plan for your particular situation. If you have questions about health insurance plans, some of these sites even have a chat feature that lets you talk with an insurance expert online. (See link below.)

A lot of controversy surrounds women that are consuming green tea while pregnant. Drinking the tea in large amounts during the time of conception or during pregnancy could result in the body not being able to use folates in the correct way.

However, there has also been studies that say it is okay during pregnancy if it is consumed in moderate amounts. Taking green tea during pregnancy isn't a bad thing if you don't overdo it.

The biggest drawback of drinking green leaf tea while pregnant is due to the caffeine content. Doctors always advise their pregnant patients to limit their intake of caffeine.

While you don't need to cut it out completely, it is for the better if you do. How does this affect those women who enjoy the health benefits and taste of green leaf tea?

Talking to your doctor about the supplements that you should take while pregnant is important. Ask your doctor if there is a certain limit to what kind of multivitamin you should take and ask if it is okay to take a supplement with herbal extracts included in the ingredients. This would include an herbal green tea extract as well.

Many people drink coffee every day. Many of those people are just finding out they are pregnant and have to choose a decaffeinated brand of coffee. This is the same with green tea or any other kind of tea. The best way to get this herbal ingredient without the caffeine, however, is in an herbal extract.

A green leaf tea extract has a lot less caffeine than its counterpart of tea. The antioxidants in green tea may also help in the proper absorption of calcium and iron which is a positive addition during pregnancy.

Take care too watch your intake of any kind of caffeine while pregnant and consult your doctor about the multivitamin you would like to take. Specifically ask how much green tea during pregnancy is okay.

Health insurance is one of the must get insurances nowadays. This is because health insurance is becoming more expensive as the cost for medical health is also increasingly becoming expensive. It is a common experience for once in our lifetime to be hospitalized or for one of our loved ones to be sick and to undergo hospitalization. This would not be too hard financially if there is just enough money to pay for the medical expenses, the problem is if you still need to source out the funds since you barely live each day with your salary. If you are the head of the family and you get sick, more trouble is to come your way. You can free yourself from this unlikely situation if you avail of an individual health insurance.

Health insurance may be provided by the state, club or the company you work for. Individual health insurance is an insurance that is meant for individuals and not groups. You have to get this type by yourself. Health insurance cover hospital expenses meaning the cost of your room and services while being hospitalized. Surgical expenses, physician's fees during office visits are also covered. Other things that are covered are prescription drugs, mental health benefits and maternity care.

Health insurance usually come in indemnity plans or managed care plans. With indemnity plans, the insurance company will reimburse the insured, what he was able to spend on. There is more flexibility with this type of plan because you can choose your own doctors and pay the expenses. You won't have to worry about going over the limit for a specified amount per day. While managed care plans in individual policy provide a broader coverage. The insurance company already chooses the hospitals and doctors ahead of time. The policy holder will just have to select from a list before availing of their health insurance.

You need to rely on your own judgment when it comes to getting an individual health insurance because your school, group affiliation or company won't do it for you. Try to find an insurance company that has a good reputation and can give you the most benefit with a low cost. You can find quotes from the internet to give you an idea of your premium. If you are in doubt, ask the insurance company questions and look for second opinions because it is your money that's going to be on the line.

Earlier this month, which happens to be Breastfeeding Month, the well-known model Gisele Bundchen ignited a firestorm of controversy regarding her opinion that breastfeeding should become a worldwide requirement by law.

Gisele, clearly passionate about being a new mother, may have over-reached a bit, but her heart was in the right place. She retracted her statement a few days later on her own blog, stating that she did not mean to say it should be a law but that she was just being enthusiastic and that the statement was taken out of context by the press and media outlets. I mention this because I think Gisele has advanced an important conversation regarding the workplace and expression of breast milk.

Gisele Bundchen wrote on her blog. "My intention in making a comment about the importance of breastfeeding has nothing to do with the law. It comes from my passion and beliefs about children. Becoming a new mom has brought a lot of questions, I feel like I am in a constant search for answers on what might be the best for my child. It's unfortunate that in an interview sometimes things can seem so black and white. I am sure if I would just be sitting talking about my experiences with other mothers, we would just be sharing opinions. I understand that everyone has their own experience and opinions and I am not here to judge. I believe that bringing a life into this world is the single most important thing a person can undertake and it can also be the most challenging. I think as mothers we are all just trying our best."

Last week I wrote about how to safely store your breast milk while working, or away from your baby, for any reason. This week, my article is about the many challenges women around the world face, both cultural and governmental, when trying to breastfeed their babies.

The month of August is Breast Awareness Month. The United States Department of Health and Human Services is sponsoring a campaign to encourage women to breastfeed. Despite all of the articles and books promoting the importance of optimizing infant health by breastfeeding, 70% of women will start breastfeeding immediately after delivery, and fewer than 20% will still be breastfeeding 6 months later. There still exist numerous cultural and legal barriers that make it very difficult for mothers to exclusively breastfeed. Women often feel nervous and embarrassed when breastfeeding in public and this will often result in abandoning breastfeeding.

A well known legal case in 1981 (Dike v. The School Board) is a perfect example of a discriminating situation that breastfeeding mothers may face.

Case Study

Janice Dike was a grade school teacher in Orange County, florida, who was banned from breastfeeding her child during her free lunch period. She claimed that her breastfeeding did not interfere with her teaching or her other school and work activities. The local court ruled against her, saying that it was illegal to breastfeed at the school. On appeal to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, this decision was reversed. The decision stated that breastfeeding is a Constitutional right that cannot be restricted by the states. However, this ruling was again reversed in the case of Shahar v Bowers (1997) in which the Court stated that the Constitution does not address private conduct but rather that State laws should control a woman's basic right to breast feed her child.

What are the current laws?

There are Federal laws and State laws that protect the rights of breastfeeding mothers and provide a socially supportive environment. Mothers must be aware of the legislation that exists in their particular state to avoid feelings of discrimination and to alleviate any anxiety they may have in public places. States vary in their protection of women.

• Forty-four states (and the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands) have laws specifically allowing women to breastfeed in public and private places.


• Twenty eight states (including the district of Columbia and the Virgin Islands) have specific laws exempting breastfeeding from public indecency laws.


• Twenty four states (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) have laws that protect women when breastfeeding in the workplace.


• Twelve states (including Puerto Rico) exempt breastfeeding women from jury duty.


• Five states and Puerto Rico have breastfeeding education campaigns.


• Individual states also have unique laws. Places like New Jersey and Hawaii allow a woman to seek legal recourse if she is unfairly discriminated against for public breastfeeding and states like Missouri allow breastfeeding only in certain locations and times and with appropriate discretion.


• Women are permitted to feed in any federal owned building or property, regardless of state (passed in 1999).


• Only Virginia allows women to breastfeed on any land or property owned by the State.

In my own state, Connecticut, there is a law that protects a woman's right to breastfeed her child in any public place and employers must allow you to breastfeed or express milk at work, even if it is a very small firm. This means that your employer must allow you to breastfeed or express milk during your meal or break period and your employer must make a reasonable effort to provide a room or comfortable location to do this (not a toilet stall).

Federal Laws

In March 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which now requires an employer to provide reasonable break time for an employee to express milk for the purposes of nursing or expressing milk for her child for one year. The employer has no obligation to compensate the employee for this time. The employer must also provide a reasonable space to do this (not a bathroom). An employer of fewer than 50 employees is are not required to do this if it imposes undue hardship. Also, this law is not meant to preempt any state law that provides even greater protection for a nursing employee.

In the past, other bills have been proposed in Congress to try to protect breastfeeding rights that provide for tax incentives for businesses to create lactation lounges for employees, minimum standards for quality control for breast pumps, and tax deductions for breastfeeding equipment and services. However, these proposals have not been passed.

US Policy on Breastfeeding

In the larger arena, in world policy, the United States has not been considered one of the world leaders in policy to promote breastfeeding.

Important international policies in the past included:

• The UN convention in 1989 on the Rights of the Child which was ratified by every country in the world except the United States and Somalia. This convention provided a basis for governments, international agencies and other organizations to formulate programs to provide for supporting, promoting, and protecting breastfeeding.


• In 1989, WHO and UNICEF issued a joint statement entitled Protection, Promotion, and Support of breastfeeding: Ten Steps to successful Breastfeeding that calls on hospitals and health care facilities to adopt practices to encourage and promote breastfeeding.


• 1990, The Innocenti Declaration was created by participants of WHO/UNICEF policy makers meeting on breastfeeding held in Florence Italy that set targets for governments to implement by 1995 for establishing national breastfeeding coordinators and committees and ensuring appropriate maternity services protecting the breastfeeding rights of working women.


• The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) was launched in 1991 by WHO and UNICEF to call for action for all maternity services, freestanding or hospital-based, to become centers for excellence in breastfeeding support. Accreditation is granted when a center doesn't accept free or low cost breast milk substitutes, does not provide feeding bottles or artificial nipples and has implemented the ten step program to support breastfeeding. As of 2007 there were only 56 hospitals and birthing centers in the US holding the BabyFriendly certificate.


• The United States breastfeeding Committee was established in 1998 (USBC) which works on advocacy issues at the Federal level. This is a group of 40 organizations which promote, protect, and support breastfeeding in the United States by focusing on national policy issues. The Committee attempts to promote implementation of the Innocenti goals of 1990 for establishing a national breastfeeding committee.


• In 2001 the United States Surgeon General issued the HHS Blueprint for Action on breastfeeding to encourage, market and support breastfeeding in the community and allow for the health care system of the US to support the training of health care professionals on the basics of lactation counseling and management within hospitals and maternity centers, and to support facilitation of breastfeeding for women who return to the workplace.

For woman facing discrimination, complaints can be filed with the National Alliance for Breastfeeding Advocacy (http://www.naba-breastfeeding.org/).

The LaLeche League International (LLLI) is also a valuable source for breastfeeding legislation. In addition, www.ncsl.org is a good resource for reviewing your particular states legislation on breastfeeding.

Conclusion

Breastfeeding a newborn infant is considered a mother's basic human right, to provide for a child's right to proper nutrition, health and care. The various countries have their own cultural, social, economic, and political norms, but basic protection guaranteed by government is essential to support women's rights in this area. With recent legislation under President Obama, the United States is finally trying to catch up by providing legal and social support to improve national objectives for increasing the percentage of breastfeeding to 75% at birth, 50% at 6 months and 25% at one year of life.

Even in the US, we have such a long way to go in terms of acceptance of this very natural and beautiful practice. Please take the time to learn the facts so you can participate in conversations about breastfeeding law, whether you be at work, in a social situation, or even while helping others learn how to successfully breastfeed. If you are a physician or lactation consultant, please know that this is the most recent research available.

Congratulations on your new pregnancy! You have an exciting journey ahead of you. There are many childbirth decisions to be made in the future, and the first step is deciding on a healthcare provider.

Do you choose a midwife or obstetrician? It's hard to know what to expect with either healthcare provider if you've never gone through childbirth before. A midwife often encourages a natural labor and birth while an ob-gyn is a specialist in the pathology of pregnancy - the study of disease - and provides a full service of maternity care, including emergency surgery if you need a Cesarean section during a difficult birth.

If you are interested in a natural labor and birth, but are unsure of what to expect with either forms of maternity care, it is important to begin searching for those answers as early as possible within your pregnancy.

The Differences Between a Midwife and Ob-Gyn

Medical training. An ob-gyn is a medical doctor who not only finished medical school, but also is required to participate for four years in an obstetrics residency program. They are board-certified. Some also specialize in other areas of reproductive care. They learn how to manage pregnancy, labor, and birth and may be more inclined to turn to interventions and/or surgery to solve a possible complication.

Certified nurse-midwives are registered nurses and have finished a two-year master's degree in midwifery. They often have to perform clinical training as part of the midwifery program and have to be certified. They hold state licenses to practice in their state. They are trained to see labor and birth as a normal and a natural physiological process of the body. If you develop complications, they will transfer your care to a physician.

A certified professional midwife (CPM) or licensed midwife is trained to care for the pregnant woman in cases of healthy, normal pregnancies. They go through an accredited program and extensive hours of prenatal care and attending births under the supervision of another CPM. Licensed midwives usually attend births in a home, a birthing center, and sometimes in a hospital, depending on the state of licensure. Medical services. A midwife doesn't perform surgical services, but has many of the same duties as an ob-gyn. If you develop complications, they will transfer your care to a physician.

Here is what to expect from a midwife:

繚 Gynecologic exams, even if you are not pregnant

繚 Prenatal care

繚 Childbirth classes and education

繚 Childbirth, including the delivery of your baby

繚 Postpartum care

繚 Neonatal resuscitation and care of newborn

While most hospital midwives can offer pain medication during labor if you request it, they often favor a natural labor approach. Midwives use several techniques during a natural labor to help a birthing mother relax and work through the pain without medication. Some of those techniques can include taking deep cleansing breaths, massages, taking a warm bath, changing a laboring mother's position and using visualization and vocalization. Many women are surprised to know that some midwives can give epidurals in a hospital or birth center setting. Do your research to know what to expect.

There are other things to consider before looking into a midwifery practice. When you make an appointment to find out more about her services, ask how she handles labor and delivery complications. Often midwives partner with an obstetrician who can offer a higher level of medical care if necessary, such as performing a Cesarean delivery. Most midwives only take low-risk pregnancies. If complications arise, they will refer you to a physician, surgeon, or perinatal specialist.

Midwives can be a wonderful and safe alternative to traditional pregnancy, labor and delivery care, especially if you want a natural labor and birth experience. As with most aspects of pregnancy, it is up to you. The decision is yours.