Mediclinic is one of South Africa’s three large private hospital groups, and its maternity units are a common choice for parents planning a private birth. This guide explains how Mediclinic maternity billing works, which charges sit outside the hospital’s own quote, and what to ask before you book. It also sets out what a fixed-price midwife-led birth costs, so you have something to compare against.
On published prices: Mediclinic does not publish a single national maternity tariff, and rates differ by hospital, by delivery type, and by your medical aid arrangement. Rather than quote a figure that may not apply to you, this page shows you exactly what makes up the bill and how to get an accurate quote for your hospital.
What the Mediclinic maternity package includes
When a Mediclinic hospital quotes you for maternity, it is quoting its own facility charges. Broadly, that covers:
- Use of the labour and delivery room, or theatre for a C-section
- Your bed in the maternity ward for the standard length of stay
- Nursing care during labour, delivery and recovery
- Routine newborn observation and basic care
- Meals and accommodation for the mother during the stay
- Standard consumables and ward medication
Facilities differ by hospital. Larger Mediclinic hospitals typically have a neonatal ICU, on-site specialists and full emergency surgical cover. Smaller ones run a standard maternity ward and refer high-risk cases elsewhere. If your pregnancy is high risk, that difference matters more than the price.
What is billed separately from the hospital
This is where most parents get caught out. The doctors who deliver your baby do not work for the hospital. They are in private practice and they invoice you directly, on separate accounts that arrive after you have gone home.
| Charge | Billed by | Included in the hospital quote? |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital facility fee | Mediclinic | Yes |
| Obstetrician / gynaecologist | Private practice | No |
| Anaesthetist (C-section or epidural) | Private practice | No |
| Paediatrician to assess baby | Private practice | No |
| Additional nights beyond standard stay | Mediclinic | No, added after |
| Neonatal ICU or high-care for baby | Mediclinic | No, added after |
| Private room upgrade | Mediclinic | No, optional extra |
| Take-home medication | Pharmacy | No |
Natural birth versus C-section at Mediclinic
A C-section costs meaningfully more than an uncomplicated natural delivery at the same hospital. It uses theatre rather than a delivery room, it requires an anaesthetist, and the standard stay is longer, usually by a day or two. Each of those adds to a different account.
An elective C-section is quotable in advance. An emergency C-section is not, which is why you should ask what happens to your bill if labour changes direction. That single question is worth more than any published average.
How to get an accurate Mediclinic quote
- Phone the maternity or admissions department of the specific Mediclinic hospital you plan to use. Rates are set per hospital.
- Ask for both the medical aid rate and the self-pay rate. They are usually different.
- Ask your obstetrician’s rooms for their delivery fee in writing, and whether they charge at medical aid rate or above.
- Ask whether an anaesthetist and paediatrician fee will apply and what those typically run to.
- Ask what the admission deposit is and when it is payable.
- Ask what an extra night costs, and what neonatal observation costs per day.
Add those six figures together. That is your realistic total, and it is usually well above the number you were first quoted.
Medical aid and Mediclinic maternity cover
Most medical aid plans cover a portion of maternity admission, but the detail decides what you pay. Check whether the Mediclinic hospital you have chosen is in your scheme’s network, because out-of-network admissions usually carry a co-payment. Check your annual hospital limit and your maternity benefit separately, as they are not the same thing.
The most common shortfall is the obstetrician. Many charge above medical aid rates and the difference is yours to settle. Ask the rooms directly what percentage of scheme rate they charge at.
Pre-authorisation is normally required. Arrange it well before your due date, not in labour.
Giving birth at Mediclinic without medical aid
Self-paying patients carry every charge above, including the unpredictable ones. Mediclinic will normally ask for a deposit before admission, with the balance settled once all provider accounts are in. Ask specifically for the self-pay tariff, which is quoted differently from the medical aid tariff.
If your pregnancy is low risk and you are paying cash, it is worth costing a midwife-led birth properly before committing, because the price does not move after you book.
The fixed-price alternative: PMBcare
PMBcare is a midwife-led practice in Fordsburg, Johannesburg, for low-risk pregnancies. There is no separate obstetrician account, and the package price is set before you book.
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Natural Birth Package (full) | R15,000 |
| Deposit, due by 20 weeks | R7,500 |
| Balance, due by 32 weeks | R7,500 |
| First prenatal consultation | R650 |
| Follow-up prenatal visit | R450 |
| Emergency callout | R700 |
| Night callout | R700 |
| Postnatal 3-day check-up (excl. baby vaccine) | R700 |
| 6-week check-up (excl. baby vaccine) | R700 |
The package covers antenatal visits from 16 to 41 weeks, monitoring at every visit, first trimester screening, labour support, birth attendance, and postnatal check-ups at 3 days and 6 weeks. Full detail is on our natural birth package page.
This suits low-risk pregnancies only. If complications arise, we refer you to hospital doctors immediately, and that pathway is planned from your first consultation. For a wider view of private birth billing, see our guide to private hospital birth costs in South Africa.
Frequently asked questions
Does Mediclinic publish its maternity prices?
Not as a single national tariff. Rates are set per hospital and differ by delivery type and by whether you are on medical aid or paying cash. Contact the admissions department of your chosen hospital for a written quote.
Does the Mediclinic quote include my obstetrician?
No. Your obstetrician, anaesthetist and paediatrician are in private practice and bill you separately from the hospital.
Why is a C-section more expensive?
It uses theatre instead of a delivery room, requires an anaesthetist, and involves a longer standard stay. Each of those is charged.
What does a midwife-led birth cost instead?
PMBcare’s Natural Birth Package is R15,000, paid as R7,500 by 20 weeks and the balance by 32 weeks, for low-risk pregnancies in Johannesburg.
Need help comparing your options
We can talk you through what to ask your hospital, how to read your maternity benefit, and whether a midwife-led birth is appropriate for your pregnancy.
Phone: +27 60 830 7432 or +27 72 266 2842
Email: info@pmbcare.co.za
Location: 81 Mint Road, Corner Gillies Street, Fordsburg, Johannesburg
Hours: Monday to Friday 09:00 to 15:00, Saturday 09:00 to 13:00