"Comprehensive Breakdown of Hospital Costs: My Experience of Hospitalization Due to Severe Morning Sickness during First Pregnancy at Age 28"

2024.03.28 published

I was hospitalized due to worsening morning sickness.

Hello, this is Nagisa from marry.

In this article, I want to talk about "morning sickness" (tsubaki) which causes feelings of nausea, heightened sensitivity to smells, and sleepiness due to pregnancy.

I have been suffering from morning sickness since shortly after getting pregnant (around the 5th week of pregnancy), and it worsened to the point where I was hospitalized for about two weeks.

It is said that around 60-90% of pregnant women experience morning sickness, but only about 1-2% of them are diagnosed with "hyperemesis gravidarum" by doctors.

It is unknown whether the severity of morning sickness is hereditary, but since all my relatives, including my mother, mother-in-law, sister, aunt, and niece, had severe morning sickness, I had a feeling that I would also experience it severely.

That said, I never expected to be hospitalized, and I had no knowledge about hyperemesis gravidarum. After being admitted, I was too weak to research my condition, which made it a tough experience.

I thought it would be good for those trying to conceive or in the early stages of pregnancy to know about "hyperemesis gravidarum" just in case (because once you experience it, you wouldn't be in a condition to do much), so I would like to provide a detailed introduction on the topic.

What is hyperemesis gravidarum?

Hyperemesis gravidarum refers to a worsened state of morning sickness. Although it requires a doctor's diagnosis, the following three indicators are generally considered:

✅ Unable to take in nutrition or fluids orally

✅ Weight loss of more than 5% from pre-pregnancy weight

✅ Urine tests show positive for ketones

In particular, whether the ketones are positive is an important indicator.

Ketones are substances used for energy when the body is in a state of starvation and lacking nutrition. They act as a sign that "the body is not getting enough nutrients."

If nutrient deficiency, dehydration, or insufficient fluids due to morning sickness worsens, it can lead to liver, kidney, or brain damage, and in the worst-case scenario, it can even be fatal. Don't simply endure it thinking, "It's just morning sickness; it's a common path all women go through!" If you feel it's tough, don’t hesitate to visit the hospital for a check-up before your scheduled appointment.

My symptoms from hospitalization to discharge.

Symptoms of morning sickness vary from person to person, but here’s what my symptoms looked like:

＜5th week of pregnancy＞

I started to feel nauseous gradually from the evening to night without vomiting. I could manage my day as usual, but in the evening, I lost my appetite and felt a bit ill, spending the time resting.

＜First half of the 6th week of pregnancy＞

I went to the hospital and confirmed my pregnancy. Nausea continued through the day, and I started vomiting at least once a day.

＜Second half of the 6th week of pregnancy＞

I started vomiting everything I ate or drank. Even without eating, I would vomit stomach acid over ten times a day. I became bedridden and unable to walk.

I collapsed in the middle of the night and had to go to the emergency room for IV fluids. I thought it would help, but it didn’t change much, and after about three hours, I was discharged.

＜7th week of pregnancy＞

I continued to vomit a dozen times a day. Since it was so painful, I went to the hospital for an IV, and I was diagnosed with 3+ ketones and admitted (3+ is the most severe status).

During my hospitalization, I received about 20 hours of IV fluids daily. After receiving anti-nausea medication via IV, the vomiting decreased to about once a day, but I continued to feel nauseous throughout the day, unable to eat much. It was a bedridden lifestyle.

(Note: Transferred to another hospital on the 3rd day of hospitalization.)

(Note: I had to take leave from work and decided to apply for sickness benefits.)

＜8th week of pregnancy＞

Continued hospitalization. Now that I could take in some fluids orally, the amount of IV fluids decreased a bit to about 8 hours per day, and I vomited about every three days. I felt nauseous and led a bedridden life.

(Lost 5 kg from pre-pregnancy weight.)

＜9th week of pregnancy＞

I was able to take in fluids and eat a little, so they removed the IV. They switched my anti-nausea medication from IV to pills. Ketones were still positive, but after such a difficult hospital life, I felt I could manage at home and decided to be discharged.

＜10th week to 17th week of pregnancy＞

Continuation of home care. I vomited about three times a week. Gradually, I could eat and drink a bit more. I felt like I was recovering, but still, I felt nauseous all day, living a bedridden life.

(Note: The stable period is said to start after the 16th week of pregnancy, during which morning sickness often calms down, but I am still very much in the midst of it.)

(Lost 8 kg from pre-pregnancy weight and the weight loss stopped here.)

＜18th week to 21st week of pregnancy＞

Although my condition greatly improved, I returned to work but continued to have unstable days with vomiting and abdominal pain several times a week.

＜22nd week and beyond＞

I finally started to stabilize.

That’s how it was.

After two weeks of hospitalization, I spent more than two months bedridden. It was truly a tough time...!!!

How much were the hospitalization costs?

Once pregnant, you usually go to the hospital, but since pregnancy is not considered an illness, most pregnancy-related expenses (like prenatal check-ups and regular deliveries) are typically not covered by insurance.

However, since hyperemesis gravidarum is treated as a medical condition requiring treatment, hospitalization and procedures related to it are covered by insurance.

Here are the actual costs I incurred during my 13-day hospitalization.

＜Hospital costs: Hospital A＞

I was hospitalized at Hospital A for three days and then transferred to Hospital B.

Hospital A is one of the three major maternity hospitals and has private rooms. There are two types of rooms (small and large), but when I was admitted, only large rooms were available. Hence, the daily rate for the private room was high, and considering the long-term stay, I decided to transfer to reduce expenses.

◆ Medical expenses (hospital fees, initial and follow-up consultations, 30% co-pay): 19,960 yen

◆ Room fee (private room, 41,500 yen per day, fully covered): 164,000 yen

◆ Total: 183,960 yen

＜Hospital costs: Hospital B＞

At Hospital B, a university hospital, I was hospitalized for ten days.

◆ Medical expenses (hospital fees, initial and follow-up consultations, 30% co-pay): 103,470 yen

◆ Food charges (460 yen per meal): 4,140 yen

◆ Room fee (4-bed room, 4,500 yen per day, fully covered): 45,000 yen

◆ Total: 152,610 yen

＜Total amount for 13-day hospitalization＞

◆ Medical expenses (30% co-pay): 123,430 yen

◆ Room fee: 209,000 yen

◆ Food charges (460 yen per meal): 4,140 yen

◆ Total: 336,570 yen

The room fees (for a private room) vary significantly by hospital (I think mine was on the higher side), but including IV and testing costs, the medical fees were about 120,000 yen over two weeks under the 30% co-pay system.

In a regular hospital without being one of the major three, without a private room, I think you should estimate, "It might cost around 150,000 to 200,000 yen for two weeks."

By the way, if your medical expenses become high over a month, you can receive reimbursements through the high-cost medical care system. The amount you must pay out of pocket varies by income, so check if you can apply if you face high medical expenses.

➡【Kyokai Kenpo Website】About the high-cost medical expense system

Hospitalization for hyperemesis gravidarum is covered by medical insurance.

Next is about insurance sold by insurance companies and not the national system.

Most insurance plans from various companies do not cover hospitalization for normal pregnancy, but hospitalization for hyperemesis gravidarum is often covered by medical insurance.

My medical insurance also applied, which was extremely helpful.

My insurance is a low-cost short-term insurance called "Minna no Kizuna," which provides 10,000 yen per night of hospitalization for 2,440 yen a month (for a 28-year-old woman).

Since I had two contracts, it provided 20,000 yen per night of coverage.

➡ Here is the website for Minna no Kizuna＊

＜Amount received from insurance＞

◆ Amount covered by insurance: 240,000 yen (20,000 yen per day × 12 nights)

◆ Total hospitalization costs: 336,570 yen

◆ Out-of-pocket expenses: 96,570 yen

If I hadn’t had insurance, my burden would have been about 340,000 yen, but since I received 240,000 yen from insurance, my out-of-pocket cost ended up being about 100,000 yen. I felt extremely grateful to have insurance…!

Which insurance is best?

Initially, I wasn't insured, but upon deciding to try to conceive, I chose insurance that covered hospitalization for normal delivery, which led me to contract with Minna no Kizuna.

There arefew medical insurances that cover hospitalization for normal delivery, so it's appreciated when they provide coverage for normal labor and delivery.

However, if we think only about hospitalization coverage applicable to normal insurance (including hospitalization for hyperemesis gravidarum), this can be considered slightly expensive.

For my case (28-year-old woman),

✅ Monthly premium: 2,440 yen

✅ Hospitalization coverage: 10,000 yen (per night)

According to a price comparison I did on a site like price.com, the cheapest regular medical insurance with the same coverage was from AXA Direct:

✅ Monthly premium: 1,650 yen

✅ Hospitalization coverage: 10,000 yen (per night)

So, there may be cheaper insurance with the same hospitalization coverage if you search around.

I viewed insurance as "merely necessary until childbirth," and contracted a "somewhat higher but seeming good short-term option that covers normal childbirth." However, everyone has different points to consider when choosing insurance.

For those now considering or reviewing their insurance, I recommend consulting a service specialized in pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing insurance called "Baby Planet."

Ask various questions like, "Does this insurance cover hospitalization for normal delivery?" "Does it cover hospitalization for hyperemesis gravidarum or threatened premature birth?" "Is surgery for cesarean section covered?" and assess comprehensively which insurance best suits you.

➡ Consult Baby Planet about insurance

There are many opinions claiming "insurance is a waste," but I realized how valuable it is that I signed up before pregnancy. Since pregnancy and childbirth have many uncertainties and are riskier periods than normal life.

Besides hospitalization due to hyperemesis gravidarum, you might also need to undergo surgery for a cesarean section or be hospitalized for threatened premature birth.

After giving birth, when reviewing insurance, it's important to have some form of insurance in place when you think, "I want to have children!" because there are not many policies you can sign up for after finding out you are pregnant.

If you take time off work, you can receive sickness benefits.

If you're absent from work due to hyperemesis gravidarum and do not receive a salary from your company, you can receive "sickness benefits."

This is money you receive when you take time off work due to illness or injury, including hyperemesis gravidarum, so many may already be aware of this system (many may have learned about it during training when they started their job).

Sickness benefits are calculated as follows:

Daily amount = (Average of the standard monthly wage over the past 12 continuous months before the start of benefits) ÷ 30 days × ⅔

For example, if someone's standard monthly wage is 300,000 yen (with monthly social insurance and pension deductibles of 70,000 yen, leaving 230,000 yen take-home pay),

Daily amount = 300,000 yen ÷ 30 days × ⅔ = 6,666 yen.

If you take a month off (30 days),

6,666 yen × 30 days = 199,980 yen

which will be the total payout.

After subtracting social insurance and pension payments (in this case 70,000 yen, calculated based on the standard wage, not on the sickness benefits amount), you will have approximately 130,000 yen remaining.

The amount will vary depending on your salary and insurance fees, but generally, you can expect that taking time off due to hyperemesis gravidarum would provide around 【two-thirds of your take-home pay in sickness benefits. After contending with deductions for social insurance, it might come to two-thirds or less.】

➡【Kyokai Kenpo Website】About sickness benefits

What I learned from hyperemesis gravidarum.

After experiencing morning sickness right after discovering my pregnancy, here’s what I learned:

✅ Morning sickness is tough.

✅ You can vomit even without eating.

✅ Ketones indicate severe cases.

✅ If you feel that it's tough, go to the hospital immediately.

✅ Hospitalization due to hyperemesis gravidarum is covered by insurance.

✅ Even with insurance, hospitalization is expensive.

✅ Medical insurance is important.

✅ Morning sickness is individual; you can't rely on others' opinions.

✅ Even if you enter a stable period, your condition may not stabilize.

Especially through this experience, I felt profoundly that "insurance is truly a valuable presence!" Therefore, I strongly recommend this to those trying to conceive who might not have insurance.

(Even those who think insurance is unnecessary should consider having some for around two years during conception through childbirth.)

Morning sickness is already tough enough as it is. Adding financial worries can be truly frustrating mentally. Therefore, having sufficient coverage can provide peace of mind to take a break without disrupting your household finances.

Consulting a financial planner.

It is also recommended to talk to a financial planner around the time you are anticipating pregnancy and childbirth.

They can provide detailed information about how much pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing will cost, when and what type of insurance to have, and whether or not to invest.

Takahashi, a former wedding planner now a financial planner, is knowledgeable about money matters for newlywed couples.

You can consult via LINE or Zoom, so feel free to ask various questions ♡

➡ Here is Takahashi's LINE＊

➡ Click here for more about financial planners 💬