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Registration

You need to register on the Bestmed Maternity care programme as soon as you have confirmed your pregnancy by means of a pathology test and/or scan from your family practitioner or gynaecologist. After registering your information, a consultant will contact you. If your pregnancy is associated with risks, the information will be forwarded to Bestmed’s case managers who will contact you to help monitor your progress.

How to register:

  • Send an email to maternity@bestmed.co.za or call us on +27 (0)12 472 6797
  • Please include the expectant member’s contact number and email address, your membership number and your expected delivery date in the email

After registration you will receive:

  • A welcome pack, containing an informative pregnancy book about the stages of pregnancy
  • Maternity/baby gift. The selection form will be sent to you after the 12th week of your pregnancy
  • Access to a 24-hour medical advice line
  • Benefits through each phase of your pregnancy

Registering on the Maternity Care Programme does not confirm any benefits or authorisation for the delivery, which are subject to the Scheme’s rules and underwriting.

Please take note of the following important information:

Benefits

Maternity benefits are offered across all ranges. As a Bestmed member you will have access to the following benefits which will not be paid from your savings account, but at 100% Scheme tariff.

RHYTHM1

Consultations: 

  • 6 antenatal consultations at a FP OR gynaecologist OR midwife

Ultrasounds: 

  • 1 x 2D ultrasound scan at 1st trimester (between 10 to 12 weeks) at a FP OR gynaecologist OR radiologist
  • 1 x 2D ultrasound scan at 2nd trimester (between 20 to 24 weeks) at a FP OR gynaecologist OR radiologist

BEAT1 AND BEAT2 

Consultations: 

  • 6 antenatal consultations at a FP OR gynaecologist OR midwife

Ultrasounds: 

  • 1 x 2D ultrasound scan at 1st trimester (between 10 to 12 weeks) at a FP OR gynaecologist OR radiologist
  • 1 x 2D ultrasound scan at 2nd trimester (between 20 to 24 weeks) at a FP OR gynaecologist OR radiologist

BEAT3, BEAT3 PLUS, BEAT4, PACE1, PACE2, PACE3, PACE4 AND RHYTHM2 

Consultations: 

  • 9 antenatal consultations at a FP OR gynaecologist OR midwife
  • 1 post-natal consultation at a FP OR gynaecologist OR midwife

Ultrasounds: 

  • 1 x 2D ultrasound scan at 1st trimester (between 10 to 12 weeks) at a FP OR gynaecologist OR radiologist
  • 1 x 2D ultrasound scan at 2nd trimester (between 20 to 24 weeks) at a FP OR gynaecologist OR radiologist

Supplements: 

  • Any item categorised as a maternity supplement can be claimed up to a maximum of R133 per claim, once a month, for a maximum of 9 months 

Please consult the Managed Care Guide for the full paediatric vaccine schedule for all options, excluding Beat1 and Beat1 Network.

Documents

Maternity Care Programme Benefits Guide
Maternity Medicine Formulary

Phases

Maternity care

Finding out you are pregnant comes with a whole lot of emotions, questions and information. Sometimes just knowing where to start and which information you can trust can be a challenge.

Pregnant members and dependants have access to the Maternity care programme. The programme provides comprehensive information and services, and was designed with the needs of expectant parents and their support network in mind.

Phases of the maternity care programme

Phase 1 (weeks 1 to 11)

Maternity Care Phase 1

Although it’s very early in your pregnancy, it’s a very important period of your pregnancy. A lot happens during the first three months. The fertilised egg rapidly divides into layers of cells and implants in the wall of your womb where it carries on growing. These layers of cells become an embryo which is what the baby is called at this stage. During this first trimester, your baby grows faster than at any other time. By six weeks a heartbeat can usually be heard. 

Phase 2 (weeks 12 to 28)

Women with her sonnogram

The second trimester is the middle three months of your pregnancy: roughly months four, five and six. As you go through the second trimester, you will start feeling and looking more pregnant, and you may have more energy than you did in the first trimester. Later, you’ll start to feel your baby moving. By this time, your pregnancy should have been registered at Bestmed. We will monitor your pregnancy and identify possible high-risk pregnancies.

Phase 3 (weeks 29 to 40)

Maternity Care Phase 3

This is the last three months of your pregnancy. Feelings at this stage of pregnancy tend to range from tiredness and worry to excitement about the baby. During this phase, we will continue to monitor high-risk pregnancies closely and you will start to prepare for the delivery and all decisions regarding it. During this stage, we will support you with:

  • Access to a 24-hour medical advice line
  • Weekly emails with helpful tips about your pregnancy, your baby’s development and how to deal with unpleasant pregnancy symptoms
  • Partners will receive emails too to inform them about the baby’s development and mom’s progress
  • If during this period your pregnancy is unsuccessful, we will provide you with access to a nurse line, and psychologists or counselling if necessary
  • A separate monitoring programme for high-risk patients

Phase 4 (Birth)

Father and baby

At this stage, expectant moms have the uncertainty of when labour will start or how they will know when to do what. You might be feeling worried about going out, making plans or being alone in case you go into labour. However, in most cases, labour starts slowly with contractions very widely spaced, leaving you plenty of time to get home. This is especially true if it’s your first child, so don’t feel like you have to stay in the house.

You might also be worried about knowing when you should go into hospital, especially if it’s not close by. When you’re having a contraction every five minutes which lasts 30+ seconds, call your midwife, birth centre or hospital labour ward if you are giving birth there. If you have chosen a home birth, the midwife will come to you. Around your due date, our maternity care team will call you to check up on your progress and/or whether baby has arrived. During this stage, we will support you with:

  • Hospital authorisation
  • Personal emails with helpful tips and how to deal with symptoms
  • Separate monitoring programme for high-risk patients

Phase 5 (Baby care)

Mother breastfeeding

You will be contacted again post-birth to check up on both you and baby’s well-being. We will also connect you with any associations you may need to assist you with any problems that you may experience.