I would like to know what all kind of medicines are taken during the normal pregnancy from the 1st month till the last month. Our doctor prescribes what we ask and we have a feeling that we should rather get a second opinion. Also not all the medicines (mostly supplements) he prescribes are taken care by the insurance.
Uptil now these are the medicines taken, changed etc.
1st month - Andreafol folic acid (taken care by mandatory insurance)
- replaced by Fembion 800 (not taken by mandatory insurance)
2nd month - Fembion 800 to be stopped and replaced by either elevit or another one nut... something, which is not reimbursed by mandatory insurance.
iron supplement - maltofer (reimbursed by mandatory insurance)
Selenium supplement - selenvital (not reimbursed by insurance)
Vitamin E - reimbursed by complementary insurance.
It's just 3rd month now so not sure what comes next...
do you take any of these medicines? which supplements you take and recommend? Are there some supplements that are reimbursed by insurance because I suspect that the similar medicine is present in para-pharmacy which normally many doctors tend to recommend.
It's ideal if folic acid is taken prior to pregnancy, though not too late if you start right when you are pregnant.
I am pregnant (due in 2 weeks) and have taken Elevit Pronatal multi-vitamins since ~ 1 month before I became pregnant. It is around 55 CHF for 100 pills and is reimbursed by your insurance.
While I was pregnant, I had to take an iron supplement for a little while as my iron count was low. Other than that I took Elevit during my pregnancy and while breast-feeding. Both were covered by insurance while I was pregnant. I had to pay for the Elevit myself once my babies were born when I was breast-feeding as my doctor only gave a prescription for it while I was pregnant.
We got elevit today and contents looks superb ie. vitamins and other compositions. I really wonder why the doctor didn't prescribe it since 1st month. Today he prescribed it when I told him that fembion 800 is not covered by insurance !
What you have been prescribed is pretty much standard for pregnancy - folate (especially pre-pregnancy and in the first trimester), iron (all women's iron levels 'go down' with pregnancy more to do with the increase in blood volume than any loss of blood. But it can't hurt to have a bit of extra iron floating around in case of blood loss during childbirth.
The other multivitamins are just a precaution...nothing in particular...well, unless you have a restricted diet or malabsorption problem...
My understanding is that if you get it 'on prescription' then your health insurance will pay (sometimes)...otherwise you can just get these things OTC (over the counter) from the pharmacy anyway..and your pharmacist may be able to recommend a 'generic' brand to replace the doctor's recommended product, which might reduce the cost...
To my knowledge Elevit Pronatal is not covered by the mandatory insurance. In your case are you referring to the basic insurance or a complementary insurance?
In my two PGs here I only ever took elevit and an iron supplement once or twice when the blood tests showed I was low. Definitely wasn't paid by the insurance - I have the basic minimum, no extras.
I personally think there's nothing wrong with taking a multivit during pregnancy - it's not that easy to eat well when you feel sick and bloated and yucky a lot of the time and it's very easy to get anemic. I always saw it as a kind of insurance on the days where I just couldn't eat much of anything without feeling like I was going to chuck.
for my 2 pregnancies, i took elevit multi-vitamin once found pregnant. My gyn told me to stop folic acid during first visit and take elevit since then till delivery.
I also took magnesium because I had cramp every other night.
I was prescribed for medication again nausea at the beginning stage.
for the mineral content, my gyn said that it's enough when I drank mineral water.
good luck to your pregnancy. One very important thing is to relax and not worry too much as the baby could tell your emotion very early of the pregnancy
I was supposed to take Elevit, but went for another thing instead from home, we take the same dose of vits but twice a day instead and a lot more folic acid, I think it was 800mg, I can't remember how much Elevit has (I think 400). It made me nauseated no matter when I took it, plus the actual pill is huge (lot more binding agents, etc). I cheer for folic, I believe we had a sleeper and a super chill baby due to ton of folic, it is a major nerve food for the little one.
I took some magnesium, too, for cramps, and calcium. I think calcium is important and light weight exercise to protect bone marrow loss. But calcium was hard for me too, made me sick, some people can't take the drastic change of ph in the tummy after you take it, so I drank ton of fat milk instead. I also had pretty weird preggo cravings, apples, rice and lentils.
I second the not stessing yourself advice, since the baby will most certainly take what it needs no matter what, so mainly think about your needs - calcium, magnesium, plenty of water, nice walks, etc.
I called up my insurance company and they told me that all doctor fees and tests are 100% reimbursed during the pregnancy but medicines are covered as usual i.e. 90%.
Elevit is reimbursed 90% but supplements are not covered at all (selenvital, femibion..)
The preceding posts all looks like pretty good advice, but could I just state the obvious: care of your baby's health, and your own, throughout your pregnancy is of paramount importance. Please do get that second opinion, but from a doctor. We have no idea of your diet, state of health, particular needs of your foetus, possible interreactions between medications you may intend taking, etc.
As I said, all the advice to date seems sound and well-intentioned, but your pregnancy is too important to entrust to a forum of well-meaning but anonymous and probably professionally unqualified people.
In my case Elevit isn't reimbursed by mandatory insurance but by taken under complimentary so need to wait till franchise of complimentary is reached.. so All is paid by me
Also, is it correct that during pregnancy, you still need to pay the 10% quote-part on medicines. Only the doctor bills are paid 100%? Thanks
Hi, I have the same insurance coverage as you. Mostly because when we moved to Switzerland we could not speak german and did not understand what kind of insurance we are taking Anyways, I am now pregnant and am very scared about giving birth in a public hospital. Could you please share your birth experience if it is possible?