Average Cost of Having a Baby Without Health Insurance

The cost of having a baby varies depending on where you live, the age of the mother and any complications that might arise during pregnancy. Michigan State University's Office for International Students and Scholars estimated in 2006 that the cost of having a baby without health insurance ranged between $5,000 and $10,000. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) put the cost in 2007 at an average of $7,600.

Prenatal Care

• Prenatal visits ensure the baby is developing properly and help keep both the mother and the baby healthy. According to WomensHealth.gov, women who don't receive prenatal care are three times more likely to deliver a low birthweight baby and have five times the risk of dying in childbirth than women who do receive prenatal care. Your doctor will establish the timing of prenatal visits, but usually you'll have a checkup once a month until about the 28th week of your pregnancy, then twice a month until week 36 and weekly after that. If you're older or have a history of pregnancy complications, you may need to see the doctor more often. AHRQ says the average cost in 2007 was about $2,000 for prenatal care.

Delivery

• AHRQ found the average cost of delivery was between $4,577 and $6,520. The amount varies depending on whether you deliver vaginally or have a cesarean section. This represents the costs for the labor and delivery room, anesthesiologist and physician. If you need to stay in the hospital, you can expect to pay about $1,000 a day, in addition to delivery costs. These costs can vary quite a bit between hospitals.

Other Costs

• Expect to pay about $200 for an ultrasound of your unborn child. If you need other prenatal testing, these add to the cost of your prenatal care. If you develop complications and need extra medications, blood or surgery, your costs can rise dramatically. If your child is born prematurely or needs extra medical care or time in a neonatal nursery, these costs can run into the tens of thousands of dollars.

Financial Aid

• If you find out you're pregnant and you don't have health insurance, you may qualify for Medicaid. Many states have special Medicaid programs to pay for prenatal care, labor and delivery and medical care for your infant. If you don't qualify for these programs, you may still be eligible for other assistance. For instance, California has Access for Infants & Mothers to provide financial assistance. Even if you don't qualify for financial aid, you may be able to work out a discounted payment plan with your obstetrician and hospital, in which you pay a little each month throughout your pregnancy to cover all the associated costs.