A newborn child is supposedly a bundle of joy for the parents. But if you’re living in the United States, having a baby can also put a massive strain on your bank account.
A woman named Kayla shared her experience giving birth to her fifth child, particularly the expenses she paid. In a recent TikTok video, she gave a detailed breakdown of her costs, which amounted to over $44,000.
As expected, most people were shocked, but her story put a spotlight on the US healthcare system, which has faced its fair share of controversies.
Childbirth is becoming more expensive in the United States
Image credits: Wesley Tingey / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Florida resident Kayla, who gave birth to her fifth child, shared a detailed breakdown of how much she paid
Image credits: kaylakosuga
The private room and labor room fees already comprised nearly half of her total expenses
Image credits: kaylakosuga
She did mention the costs shouldered by her insurance company
Image credits: kaylakosuga
But what surprised many was the $12,000 fee for her son’s birth
Image credits: kaylakosuga
You can watch Kayla’s video below
@kaylakosugaHow much is cost to give birth 😅♬ original sound – Kayla Kosuga
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
The median cost of childbirth in the United States saw a massive jump in just three years
In her video, Kayla revealed that the total amount she paid was $44,318.41. This included a bill for her son’s birth, which amounted to $12,761.30.
Extra costs aside, the median expense for natural childbirth in 2022 was reportedly $13,000. Three years later, the amount more than doubled to $28,654.71, according to Fair Health tracker.
The prices also vary from state to state. In Kayla’s home state of Florida, the median charge is $34,489.48.
But what exactly is the reason behind these skyrocketing costs? According to Cynthia Cox, vice president of the health policy research organization KFF, high deductible health plans are one reason.
“High deductibles are supposed to make people think twice about the cost of care and if they really need it. However, in the case of childbirth, that doesn’t make sense. Obviously, you need it,” she told Bloomberg in a 2024 interview.
Birth plans in the US are also costly. As Kalya broke down in her video, she had to pay for doctor’s fees, anesthesia, and epidural injections. According to health policy analyst Louise Norris, each health plan also varies.
“All of these services can be counted toward the deductible, or there may be individual copays that apply,” she told Business Insider in a 2022 interview.
Unfortunately, these high costs have led to a financial strain among women. A 2023 study by researchers at Harvard Medical School revealed that 20% of new mothers are burdened with their medical bills after birth.
Image credits: Ahmet Kurt / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Minimizing childbirth costs comes down to research and a proper strategy
While childbirth involves unavoidable expenses, there are ways to mitigate them. One piece of advice Norris gave was to keep up with prenatal care.
As she explained, regular checkups may increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy and avoid complications, which are costly to treat.
Another option is to ask the hospital if they offer maternity packages. According to Norris, these are bundled services that often include flat fees and discounts.
She also gave a simple tip: bring your own supplies, such as over-the-counter pain relievers and even a box of tissues. Norris says doing so can help avoid significant extra charges.
Fortunately, Kayla and her family had a successful delivery, all the expenses aside.