Pregnancy and Childbirth
Local health care providers reported that many Amish women visit a physician to confirm their pregnancy, but then obtain the rest of their care from another sector. Those who remain with a physician for prenatal care give birth at a local community hospital, usually going home 24 hours after birth, reportedly to reduce costs. All women in the county, including Amish women, who go home 24 hours after delivery are visited by a public health nurse within 2 days. The nurse inquiries about postpartum problems, stresses the need for immunization, and tests for PKU. Most patients return for their 6 week postpartum visit. Amish rely more on clinical judgment and order only the minimum of expensive diagnostic tests. Amish women tend to seek prenatal care late, in the third trimester or not at all, to minimize cost and inconvenience. In response, local physicians emphasize to the Amish community that they charge a single fee for prenatal care and delivery, regardless of the number of prenatal visits. They would seek prenatal care earlier with their first child compared to the other pregnancies. Many families don’t have medical insurance and can’t afford childbirth costs so many women have midwives come to their home to deliver the babies. During pregnancy, many women use herbs and vitamins for their prenatal care.