Giving Birth in Bangkok

[ella0000]

Hi. Me and my hubby are both non-thai. we are planning to have our baby here, i am already 33 weeks pregnant. currently having antenatal care at police general hospital. anyone experienced giving birth/ have wife give birth in this hospital? how much did you spend? 

another thing, anyone has idea if i can give birth at Chulalongkorn hospital even though i didnt have my anc with them? thank you

[CharlieH]

MOVED to Health

[Kwasaki]

Any govt hospital will take you, general ward beds in our local govt hospital is 300 or 400 baht per day extra fan 20 baht a day, a air-con room 1000 baht a day, 

Best you go ask what additional costs are if your concerned about costs at your local govt hospital when giving birth.   

No worries you will be taken care of very well, a happy time indeed. 

[Sheryl]

You can give birth at Chula without having had ANC there but it is much better if you get at least one check there first so that you are registered.

 

Government hospitals are much less expensive than private, which becomes especially important if there are any complications -- many private hospitals have packages for delivery that look fairly affordable but at the least complication that price is out the window and bills can easily mount into the millions of baht.

 

Government hospitals will also not push for unnecessary C-section whereas private hospitals almost always do unless you have carefully chosen a doctor supportive of natural birth before hand.

 

Those are the positives.  But there are also some  drawbacks to delivery in a government hospital for a foreign woman:

 

- little or no English speaking on the part of the nursing staff. If you do not speak much Thai this can be very, very difficult -- even frightening -- while in labor. To put it mildly.

 

- usually cannot have the husband in the delivery room

 

- things like rooming in etc are usually not possible/known. It is like in the west 30 years ago.

 

At Chula it is possible to go through an after hours clinic where you can see a senior Ob and have them be your primary doctor. This is helpful for things like discussions around epidural and any other preferences you may have. Costs more than the public channel but not by that much.