One of the first “care” decisions you will need to make when you find out you are pregnant with twins or triplets is if you will birth in a public or private hospital.
We asked some of our Twinfo members why they decided to birth in a public hospital for twins or triplets.
Public hospital for twins or triplets
Paige
Private hospitals are expensive and I don’t have private health cover. I have no complaints about the public system, particularly in my twin pregnancy. Saw the same OB for the vast majority of my appointments. I had a six night stay in a private room after my delivery (my husband also stayed in the room for those nights). Plus received great care both during the pregnancy and after delivery. All I paid for out of pocket was my gestational diabetes supplies and $13 for the vitamins my Twin B was discharged with.
Also, with what I know now I wouldn’t have chosen private even if I did have private health cover. I’ve seen too many people get turfed from private OBs when they became too high risk. And those with complications who were hoping to deliver in a private hospital end up needing to deliver in the public system because private wasn’t equipped to care for them/their babies.
Caroline
I had my first set of twins privately and when they needed NICU they got transferred 45 minutes away to a public hospital. It was awful and traumatic. Didn’t make that mistake again with the second set, went public and the experience was 200% better than my private experience. The hospital ObGyns were so much more experienced with twins than my private ObGyn too. I felt a lot safer in their hands.
Ellise
We delivered with a elective c section at 34 weeks, the private hospital wouldn’t take us as they didn’t have facilities due to their age, however we transferred to private 3 days later as the boys were breathing on their own and ready to come out of the humidicrib. We finished our stay there learning to feed etc.
The public hospital and NICU were great but the ward and NICU were on separate levels which made it really hard post c section to get to for feeds and pumping.
Zoe
I had an elective c-section at a public hospital with my twins and had a fantastic experience. I had an extremely high risk pregnancy so I had to stop work at 23 weeks. From 16 weeks I had up to x3 appointments per week and two of those were ultrasounds. The care I received before, during and after my pregnancy was exceptional. I saw the same Obstetrician each week.
I honestly think we would have struggled a lot to have to pay for each of our appointments if we were private, as I didn’t have private health cover. Obviously I didn’t predict that I would fall pregnant with twins and just presumed I would have a simple pregnancy like my last singleton (which was also fantastic and though Public).
Sharn
I was booked in to be cared for by a private maternity clinic, once I found out I was carrying twins I was advised by said clinic they could no longer care for me. This left me very few private options all of which seemed to incur very high fees involved with a multiples pregnancy and delivery. I chose to go publicly through the hospital I would have still given birth at privately and am so thankful I did. I was accepted into the midwifery program and received very high care from antenatal to postpartum (6weeks at home).
Although I encountered many healthcare professionals who recommended and even pushed for a cesarean I was able to achieve my desired labour and birth with the assistance of two community midwives. I achieved a spontaneous, vaginal unmedicated labour and birth. Following the birth of our twins I was provided with amazing postpartum care and lactation advice/assistance.
I also received all of my antenatal scans through the MFM department bulk billed, was in a single room following the birth and had very good follow up through the children’s hospital regarding a referral to monitor Twin A’s hips and asymmetrical leg lengths.
Ash
I’m currently going through the public system for twins. We chose public as we were quoted an absolutely offensive amount for private and with twin visits to private OBs you’d end up out of pocket so much.
Having said that I am paying to go to a specialist high risk scanning place instead of the hospital. All my scans are checked at the time by a specialist OB and they make recommendations accordingly to the hospital.
I’ve found the hospital very vague. I am trying to plan to get work notice about maternity leave but the hospital just keeps saying it’s too early to make plans, even thou I need to give work 10 weeks notice.
I have also found the OBs at the hospital can be a bit contradictory as you see a different one each time. There’s that it’s definitely a benefit knowing you’re own info so you can question things. I have a background in health so I’m doing ok. But someone less knowledgeable I would think could feel a bit lost.
Jodie
I had 2 singletons private 12 years apart. 1st child only had a small hospital fee out of pocket. 2nd child had the huge doctor and hospital out of pocket fee but I let my PHI lapse after 2nd child. The biggest difference for me was seeing a different Doctor each appointment. The midwives on ward were unable to take the babies overnight or for a few hours because no nursery on the ward but I could get sandwiches out of the fridge whenever I wanted especially in middle of the night with public, my private hospital didn’t have that option.
Sarah
We chose private suites in a public hospital for twins as it was the main NICU hospital in our state. We didn’t want to end up at a different hospital to our girls if something went wrong. In the end I was too high risk for the private OB and was transferred to the MFM department in the same hospital and become a public patient and had a wonderful experience
Adelaide
Public hospital for twins was the only option I considered. After going at a tertiary public hospital for my singleton, it was a no brainer to do the same for my twin pregnancy. Only Costs were 4 weekly ultrasounds (85% rebate through Medicare) and a small fee for my husband to stay the 3 nights in the private twin room I had. Had the most amazing continuity of care from the midwives and the top OB at the hospital. Also twins clinic every 4 weeks was great (I didn’t have many questions but they were always willing to discuss all my options).
Sarah
Have private cover. But having diabetes, and having twins, knew it was more likely they could come early. The public hospital had a stellar NICU. I paid a bunch in parking fees and very little else. I did pay the excess when admitted to hospital, and technically may have been a private-public patient, but was almost guaranteed a single room because of twins anyway.
Aileen
I went to a public hospital (high risk), went into labour at 32 weeks. Twins were transferred to another hospital for NICU care. There were no available beds apparently for me to be transferred too. I was placed into a 4 person room after giving birth. All other mothers in that room had their babies and families bed side cooing all over their babies while I lay there crying myself to sleep not knowing if my twins were alive or what was wrong with them. I discharged myself the next morning and drove to sit beside their NICU beds at the other hospital. I didn’t get to hold 1 of my babies until they were 1 week old.
Margaret
No choice in the town where I live. My private health insurance got me a newspaper each day… that’s it. Having said that, I had a fantastic experience.
Jane
Our local private doesn’t have SCN or NICU. So if the babies had needed them (which they did) they would have been transferred out and I would have stayed until I was well enough for discharge. That was decision enough. Once I heard that I didn’t look any further and got a referral to the public hospital near us that manages multiples.
As it turns out, I became “high risk”, including losing a triplet in utero, and our surviving twins needed SCN, so it was definitely the right decision, and I cannot fault the care we recieved.
Shannon
We chose public as we didn’t have private health. Landed up going through MFM, as one of my girls had a heart condition, and I had the best care. Saw the same midwife every fortnight, and then weekly for the last 6 weeks. I had a scare at 30 weeks and landed up in hospital for 4 days. My midwife came and saw me daily, and I was so well looked after.
The NICU was one of the best, and they took such good care of my girl for the 6 weeks she was there. I’m so glad we were at the same hospital, made visiting her easier while I was a patient. It was also a much easier transition to the children’s hospital next door, got to walk across with her when she was ready for surgery. I have only positive things to say about my overall experience.
Sally
Have private cover but decided it would be much cheaper to go to a public hospital for twins. I decided I could use that money instead on extended maternity leave. After speaking to numerous people was told that if they were prem we would end up there anyway. We had them at 27 weeks so was glad I birthed at the hospital I had planned. The NICU staff were amazing! Overall only had two negatives: having a different Obstetrician at each appointment meant I was given very different opinions on everything. As a first time mum that was hard.
Other thing was after giving birth and my boys were taken to NICU, I was made to share a room with someone who had their baby with them which was really hard to take. After numerous complaints from my mum they finally moved me to a room that had a patient on bed rest so it was much better.
Was also kicked out of hospital 36 hours after giving birth which also was a bit of a shock.
Lauren
As soon as I told my GP that I was having MCDA twins she recommend our local public hospital. She explained that even if I went private, the likelihood of me going early was so high, and that none of our private hospitals had NICUs so we would be moved immediately anyway. I thought why waste the out of pocket expenses on private if that was the case and what do you know, I went at 29 weeks so it was worth it. Our hospital was amazing- I felt like I made the right choice.
Simone
After the money I spent on IVF I didn’t have additional funds to go private once I found out I was having twins. The care I received was amazing the whole way thru.
Shell
I don’t have private health, went through our public hospital for twins. The antenatal care was a bit messy (some miscommunication and saw various different OBs). But I received wonderful care from all the staff through birth (emergency c section) and my week stay in hospital. One of my twins was in special care for 5 days and she was looked after beautifully by the team there. Did not cost us a thing and I was blown away by the support and care we were given.
Elle
We had no choice as complications sent us to the FMU at 15 weeks. Our care was fantastic. I also had a private midwife/IBCLC who I saw at home. My partner said he was more comfortable with the public system because there’s more eyes on your case and issues missed by one Dr can be picked up by another.
Hayley
We chose a public hospital for twins. With a high-risk pregnancy I was comfortable knowing that the hospital I was booked in to deliver was a Level 4 with NICU capable of managing the care of myself and both babies with minimal need to be transferred to another more-capable hospital. I had access to multiple services; Physio, dietician, hydrotherapy etc without having to attend multiple locations and paying out-of-pocket.
I was comfortable with the environment when admitted for delivery. I had a private room during my 21 night stay. My fiancé was able to board in with both babies when they were discharged from SCN and I was still admitted. Also, I had the same Obstetric team throughout my care. They even a managed my care while I was admitted to another hospital (who had immediate and full access to all records as they were on the same system) for emergencies on 2 occasions (2 major DVT’s and PE).
Donna
Private costs are crazy. I was informed that if the twins needed to go to NICU they would be in the public while I would stay in the private so that kind of made my mind up too. The twins were an unexpected pregnancy too so we had not factored in costs for another baby let alone 2. We went public with our first baby (who was IVF and therefore had already cost us a lot of money) and had a great experience. The twins birth (and then also baby #4) was also a great experience. No issues.
Madeleine
We canned our pregnancy cover over covid for money reasons and because our first pregnancy/birth was so textbook. Well the universe laughed at us and said if that was easy, here have two!
So we had no choice but to go public. But we paid for a private OB for consistency of care and we wouldn’t have done it any other way in hindsight. We had the best of both worlds!
Jemma
I have always chosen the public system despite having private cover. The care I had was excellent and I always felt supported. Even with MoDi twins I was confident in the system and was happy to birth publicly. I also know that intervention rates in public hospitals are generally lower so that was attractive to us as well.
Megan
I was a public patient and I loved it. We had private extras insurance but that was it (health insurance was completely out of our financial reach). I lived rurally and delivered in the major hospital 2+hrs away. We stayed in the hospital accommodation hotel the night before my induction. And my then partner was able to stay there while we were in hospital to make it easier for us all.
Our care was first class. All the nursing staff whose shift finished during my labour came in the next day to visit us and meet the babies.
My biggest concern was on being transferred back to our local hospital (in our own vehicle). We arrived at the local hospital and the major hospital had not informed the local hospital we were being transferred. We arrived after dark in the middle of winter with two babies. The nursing staff looking confused saying can we help you? We were given a letter to give to them. But they had no idea I’d had my babies let alone was being transferred back.
Alex
My local public hospital has a twins clinic. So more experience with twins than any private OB in the area because it’s all they do!
Bronwyn
Ok so I am a nurse in a private hospital and had full private cover and had a booked caesarean for 38 weeks. My waters broke at 33. So I had to go to the public to deliver as the private hospital only takes 34+ weeks. Honestly the care was amazing from birthing suite, to ward and special care nursery. I had one nurse that was a bit hard core but you could get that anywhere. Other than that my experience was great.
Also our public hospital has a Ronald McDonald room for children and families with children in hospital and the volunteers were tops. So kind , caring and helpful. A nice place to go for a cuppa just for a break. Only negative for me was the food was terrible. After 2 weeks I was transferred with the boys to the private so I got to see both sides
Crystal
We have one private and one public in my city. I chose the public as it’s not only cheaper (My entire pregnancy I only paid $120 out of pocket and that was for my NT bloods) but also because they have an excellent Special Care Nursery which accepts babies from 32 weeks onwards. We knew, carrying multiples, we may find ourselves with some premmies. It was reassuring that come 32 weeks they could remain in our home city with us. And they did come early, at 34 weeks.
The staff were professional, patient, caring and vigilant before, during and after the twins delivery. They were quick to diagnose me and act when my health took a turn, but still ensured I was informed and comfortable in all aspects of my emergency c-section and postpartum care.
Cannot fault my public experience, and definitely confident in staying public for any future pregnancies.
Kavana
I badly wanted to go private for my second pregnancy, and it turned out to be multiples. I even had the health insurance and paid 8 months.
But when I got to know I’m having twins most of them suggested for me to choose public.
Main reasons –
1. Twin pregnancy- generally babies come earlier. And if I did have babies before 32 weeks I will automatically be taken to a public as private isn’t as well equipped as public
2. I have high blood pressure and high chances of preeclampsia, so may lead to early labour.
3. Cost- the out of pocket every time you visit an OB. As this covered by Medicare. Not covered by the insurance.
4. The insurance was only for birthing and stay. And immediately after birth the babies needed to be added to the insurance or else I had to pay out of pocket.
5. Apparently public hospital are way more equipped and advanced as compared to private. So most of them suggested me to go public.
Overall, there were too many complications going private. So even though I paid for 8 months, I stopped my health insurance and opted public.