The mean total cost of maternity care rose from about $3,000 in 2008 to north of $4,500 in 2015, according to the study.
Nearly all women paid out-of-pocket for costs associated with maternity care between 2008 and 2015, according to research published in Health Affairs Monday afternoon.
The mean total cost of maternity care rose from about $3,000 in 2008 to north of $4,500 in 2015, according to the study.
Specifically, total out-of-pocket spending on vaginal delivery rose by $1,400 and cesarean delivery jumped by $1,800 over the same period.
The study concluded that the primary driver for the rise in out-of-pocket spending were costs faced by women with high deductible employer-sponsored health plans.
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The Affordable Care Act required employer-sponsored health plans to cover maternity services, but insurers can impose cost-sharing on members, according to Michelle H. Moniz, lead author and assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Michigan.
Moniz told HealthLeaders that this has placed a significant financial burden on patients across the United States, which already has some of the worst maternal mortality rates in the modern world.
"This [issue] matters because we've seen that when patients face financial burdens, they may delay or defer recommended care," Moniz said. "In the case of pregnancy, we know this leads to an increased risk of complications for moms and for babies."
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Moniz added that while the study did not specifically investigate costs faced by the hospital, leaders at provider organizations can benefit from the study's findings.
She said that teaching patients before, during, and between pregnancies about the potential out-of-pocket costs associated with care is key to reducing clinical risks.
While Medicaid has taken a lead at reducing out-of-pocket costs, Moniz said many women enrolled in employer-sponsored health plans are part of low-income populations.
Prospective mothers should be adequately informed, Moniz said, so they can consider the most appropriate health coverage while planning a pregnancy.
Related: Minority Women More Likely to Die from Pregnancy-Related Complications
The research was published the same day as a Premier Inc. study which found childbirth complications increase the cost of vaginal delivery by 20% and increase the cost of cesarean delivery by 25%.
The analysis also found that severe maternal morbidity (SMM) factors can force women to stay hospital-bound for 70% longer than those without complications
Related: Complications Increase Vaginal Delivery Costs by 20%, Study Finds
Jack O'Brien is the Content Team Lead and Finance Editor at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.