What are the advantages of giving birth in a private maternity hospital?

newborn baby in cradle at the maternity ward

Labor & Delivery

The main difference between giving birth in a private maternity hospital and in a public maternity hospital is the presence of your gynecologist on the big day. The midwives will accompany you throughout labor, but it's your gynecologist who will be present for the final pushes and baby's delivery. In a public maternity hospital, the process is different. Find out more here.

Insurance coverage

In order to give birth in a private maternity hospital, you must have supplementary private or semi-private insurance (for at least 1 year) to cover the costs of the birth and your stay. It's important to check with your insurance company and obtain written confirmation before going ahead, otherwise you'll have to foot the entire bill. If you don't have supplementary insurance but still wish to give birth in a private maternity hospital, this is possible. Don't hesitate to contact the establishment of your choice to find out its rates.

Some hospitals with maternity wards offer a semi-private option. If your supplementary insurance covers it, you can then choose your gynecologist and benefit from hotel services during your stay.

Medical team & Infrastructure

It's important to note that not all maternity hospitals have a team of doctors, pediatricians and anesthetists on call 24 hours a day. If your delivery is at risk, it's important to take this information into consideration before choosing a maternity hospital. For premature deliveries at less than 34 or 37 weeks of amenorrhea (depending on the clinic), you will not be able to give birth in the private sector, as not all maternity hospitals have a neonatal unit.

Stay & Hotel service

Hotel comfort is a major advantage of private clinics, which offer a quality of service, meals and comfort worthy of luxury hotels! If you have private insurance, you'll have a room all to yourself, or for two with semi-private insurance. Depending on the clinic, your spouse may stay with you free of charge for the first night, with preferential rates for subsequent nights.

Birth Plan

Don't forget to prepare a birth plan to give to the midwifery team, in which you'll indicate all your wishes for the big day. Examples: I'd like a physiological birth, without an epidural and using the self-hypnosis techniques I've learned in birth preparation classes; I'd like as much skin-to-skin contact with my baby as possible; I don't want to breastfeed; I'd like the cord to be cut as late as possible; ideally, I'd like to give birth in water etc.