mother holding her baby
ARTICLEPREGNANCY

Help for Finding the Affordable Prenatal and Postpartum Care You Need

March 01, 2023

When you’re pregnant, your physical and mental health are very important. Regular prenatal care is essential. But it can be a challenge to find affordable care.

It may feel even harder if you have a physical or mental health concern like high blood pressure or depression. But getting the right kind of care can help you reduce your and your baby’s risk of health problems, such as preterm birth.

Here are a few affordable ways to help ensure you have the healthiest pregnancy possible.

Find Affordable Care

See a doctor or midwife as early as possible in your pregnancy.

A doctor or midwife can help decide on the level of care you need based on your health and well‑being. If your pregnancy is considered a high-risk pregnancy, they may recommend a special doctor to treat you during your pregnancy.

Your doctor or midwife will then see you regularly throughout pregnancy to check on you and your baby. They’ll also check on your health and well‑being after you give birth.

To find affordable care near you, try searching either of these two directories:

Apply for Health Insurance

You may be eligible for Medicaid health insurance coverage for your pregnancy and birth. This may be true even if you didn't have Medicaid before you were pregnant.

Find more info about getting insured while you’re pregnant, and a list of state Medicaid websites, at Healthcare.gov. Go to your state's website to see if you're eligible.

Use Your Benefits

Need help navigating the healthcare system? Once you enroll in health insurance, check with your insurance plan or ask your doctor to see if you qualify for a case management program.

A case manager is a professional like a nurse or social worker who can get to know you and your needs. They then help you coordinate the support services that can help to optimize your treatment.

To see if you qualify, you’ll usually need to complete a screening questionnaire or form. If you qualify, you’d need to let your plan know that you’re interested in enrolling in the program.

A case management program could personalize your care and make it easier to care for your health and well‑being.

Some health plans also cover doula services. A doula is a professional who can provide support, education, and help during pregnancy, labor, and/or postpartum. They can help you have the birth and postpartum experience you envision.

You can contact your insurance company to see if it can help cover the cost of a doula.

Get the Emotional Support You Need

While pregnancy can be a happy time, it can also be emotionally challenging. You may be more likely to need mental health support.

You can reach out for mental health support any time you feel you need it. But it’s especially important if you feel your emotions are getting in the way of your daily life or causing you significant distress.

To find mental health support, talk to your doctor or midwife. You can also search your health insurance plan’s website to find a provider. It can be a social worker, a counselor, a psychologist, or a psychiatrist.

There are some additional resources that can help too:

If you ever have very negative or scary thoughts, talk to someone right away. You can call 988 or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or go to the free Crisis Text Line.

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