When Lydia and Brian Otieno began planning for their first child, they budgeted for the delivery. What they had not counted on were the months of antenatal scans, lab tests and check-ups beforehand — nor the possibility of a caesarean section, which can cost several times more than a normal delivery.
A straightforward hospital delivery in a private facility can range from KSh 80,000 to well over KSh 200,000, with a C-section pushing costs higher still. Add antenatal care and any complications, and the total can surprise even well-prepared parents.
Obstetricians emphasise that consistent antenatal care is one of the best predictors of a safe birth — but cost is a barrier that leads some women to skip visits. "Every check-up matters," says Dr. Njeri Mwangi. "Cover that includes maternity removes that hesitation."
Comprehensive inpatient cover with a maternity benefit is designed to absorb these costs, giving expectant families predictability at one of the most demanding moments in their lives.
For the Otienos, the arrival of their daughter was worth every shilling. "We just wish we had understood the full picture earlier," Lydia says. "You plan for the baby, but the journey there has its own costs."
