Baby birth in public or private hospital?

[Ray394]

Hi, 

 

I just found out that I'm pregnant. My husband and I both have SSO with Pecharavej hospital. And no private insurance to cover the birth in a private hospital. 

 

I would prefer to go to one of the private hospitals and just saw the birth package which is a lot expensive but still affordable, however I read a story here that one lady had a birth in Bumrungrad and baby had to stay in NICU, which costed....$1,000 per night??? No one knows what will happen to me and baby, so I'm a bit worried to choose the private hospitals without an insurance. 

 

Right now, my public hospital (Petcharavej) is not that bad for us to do a simple checkups, but the condition is definitely not suitable for baby birth.. (I think..) If anyone had an experience of baby birth in one of the public hospitals, could you please share a story and recommended hospitals? Then I could consider to move my SSO there. 

 

Thanks,

[digbeth]

The neonatal/obgyn doctors at public hospital can also have a 'special' care package where you pay(bribe) the doctor directly around 5000 baht on top of the usual hospital fees (if any) and you become his 'special' patient until the birth and he will personally deliver your baby, and even perform elective cesarean (up to negotiation) if not when it comes to time to delivering the baby you'll go to whichever intern is on call... 

 

that is if you're okay with the condition of the room you'll be staying, some public hospital  you can pay to upgrade to private room

[Sheryl]

You should definitely not deliver in a private hospital if you cannot afford to pay for care in case of complications. Do not go by the cost of the delivery packages as that is all out the window if anything goes wrong. Should the baby come prematurely or otherwise have problems the bill could be in the millions of baht.

 

You should also not deliver at a hospital which lacks NICU facilities as Petcharavej appears to. It also appears to have only one OB-Gyn on staff for the while hospital.

 

Another consideration is that private hospitals in Thailand are well known for pushing unnecessary cesearan sections, it is very hard to have a vaginal delivery in one.

 

As ity sounds like you are in early pregnancy there is time to change your SS hospitals and I suggest you do that. Contact SS or the HR dept where you work to get a list of which hospitals are now open to new SS enrollment and post the list here for suggestions.

 

Otherwise,  you could plan on delivering at one of the top government hospitals like Chulalongkorn or Siriraj.

 

one thing to be aware of in government hospitals is that it is usually nto possible to have the father in the delivery room with you. Also, there will be language barrier with the nurses if yo udo nto speak Thai well and that can be scary during labor.

 

 

[Boomer6969]

My wife had two deliveries in Buriram hospital, with a private doctor who performed elective Caesarians for 7k as far as I remember. He also arranged her private room on both occasions. Ok room with private bathroom for about 800 a night. Our second one puked some blood after her first feeds and ended up 6 days in NICU. NICU cost was zero but we had to all the paperwork. Great team there and dads allowed to visit, only time I felt part of a brotherhood in Thailand even though the brothers were 30 to 40 years younger than me.

All in all it was a great experience, so great that I had my vasectomy just after in the same hospital with my private doctor.

[Sheryl]

3 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

My wife had two deliveries in Buriram hospital, with a private doctor who performed elective Caesarians for 7k as far as I remember. He also arranged her private room on both occasions. Ok room with private bathroom for about 800 a night. Our second one puked some blood after her first feeds and ended up 6 days in NICU. NICU cost was zero but we had to all the paperwork. Great team there and dads allowed to visit, only time I felt part of a brotherhood in Thailand even though the brothers were 30 to 40 years younger than me.

All in all it was a great experience, so great that I had my vasectomy just after in the same hospital with my private doctor.

As your wife is Thai the baby's care would be coveted under the government scheme. Not the case for OP.

[TheFreqFlyer]

In my opinion, if you have private insurance and/or cost is no object, then a birth at a private hospital is far superior. Fathers allowed in the delivery room, if you choose the right hospital then natural birth is an option and less pressure to receive unwanted interventions. At a public hospital, you're basically forced to do whatever they tell you. 

[richard_smith237]

Baby birth in public or private hospital?

 

Definitely go to a hospital - shopping mall, parks etc don’t have the facilities (sorry, I know).

 

Ok... Insurance for your unborn child. 

 

You can take out insurance for your child from Birth (we (my wife and I) did with BUPA International). 

This involved contacting BUPA and telling them you wanted the child covered from birth for any unknown congenital defects or complications during or after birth. 

 

The issue was slightly complex as we had Maternity Cover (also with BUPA) which covered our son for 90 days after brith. However, had there been any congenital defects discovered in that 90 days they would be excluded on any followup medical health care cover, hence my insistence that my child had cover from birth. 

 

This is something often over looked by parents who have full medical cover. You [Op] are wise to think of this now. 

 

Additionally - it may also be possible to obtain cover not for child birth itself, but for complications arising from child birth. 

 

Shop around, contact the brokers. The insurance is likely to be fairly expensive, insurance for your child is also likely to be fairly expensive. 

 

Have you considered going back to your home country for the Birth? (which is where, does it have national health care?)

 

 

Final point: IF you are working here and pay tax etc it may be possible for you to give birth in one of the very good Thai public hospitals - the Doctors will speak English, the nurses perhaps not (but the nurses speak little english in private hospitals) the difference really is comfort and the amount of time the doctors have to answer your 1 millions questions. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jirathama]

I think, it is maybe to early to decide if public or private.

My wife, Thai, just delivered a baby girl in the public hospital. We had no insurance and also we wanted natural birth.

 

Most private hospitals push you to cesarean, as Sheryl wrote above.

So, depending what kind of birth you prefer. But in a pregnancy alot can happen and the public hospitals can be very stressful, by having each appointment a different doctor and also endless waiting lines.

 

Another factor...in public hospitals your husband can normally not join the birth. In private hospitals they most likely are ready for that.

 

We wish you a healthy pregnancy and baby.

[KeeTua]

First kid was born in a private hospital no complaints, no complications and since it was 30 years ago it was very inexpensive.

 

I really liked the arrangement for our second kid who was delivered at a government hospital. A doctor was recommended who had his own clinic as well as working at a private hospital and the government hospital, he was well known locally. He gave us the option of delivery at either hospital and what it would cost, checkups were at his private clinic. As the date for the birth grew close we chose the public hospital and he took care of arrangements for a private room. It was overall a pleasant enough experience. That was 25 years ago in Isaan.

 

To keep your options open and for convenience you might ask around for a doctor with a similar arrangement, private clinic, works at both a private and public hospital.

 

I personally believe the public hospitals in the larger cities tend to have more up to date equipment and little incentive to do unnecessary procedures and of course they are far cheaper. But as Sheryl pointed out some knowledge of Thai language is very helpful.

 

Good luck!

[rickudon]

My wife (Thai) gave birth at a public hospital in Udon Thani 9 years ago, but she had 'upgraded' to a package which included Cesarean, doctor of choice and private room (air conditioned) for 3 or 4 days. I was able to see my daughter a few hours after birth, and stayed in the room with my wife. Overall was quite OK. 

 

My Thai nephew's wife had a son last year in public hospital also, with private room, and that was ok as well. Maybe just need a bigger hospital and enhanced package.

Edited September 2, 2020 by rickudon
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[khunPer]

20 hours ago, Ray394 said:

If anyone had an experience of baby birth in one of the public hospitals, could you please share a story and recommended hospitals? Then I could consider to move my SSO there.

I cannot recommend any hospital, please see Sheryl's answer in post #3.

 

But I can share my experience from a Thai government hospital, where my Thai girlfriend gave birth to our child, by a late planned cesarean due to risk of complications (the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck, and it was also a week over time). The reason for choosing a public hospital was in our case that my girlfriend wished to be with her family, and there were no other close by options.

 

Many, if not all, public hospital have an option for a so-called VIP-room, a private room with better conditions than a ward with several beds. We used that, and it was very affordable for my foreign money, and surprisingly good. It's 15 years ago now, but at that time we paid 800 baht a day for the VIP-room that also has space for a guest to stay/sleep. Also my general impression of the hospital and service was very positive – but I'm not in any way an expert, so please see Sheryl's advises – however, what mainly impressed me was the level of human service. I'm from a Scandinavian country where we are supposed to have a very high standard in public hospitals – there are hardly any other options – but the number of staff, and also doctors, suffers.

 

As my girlfriend had not registered in the SS-system for her hometown hospital, we had to pay the bill and could ask for a refund from SS. Birth with cesarean and three days in VIP-room, all included, were just under 12,000 baht; so I never asked for a refund, as I could afford it.

 

The government hospital were we live now has several levels of VIP-rooms from affordable 800 baht level that is equal to an cheap private hospital, and up to just about 4,000 baht a day with full board, which match the high level of private hospitals in the area. It also seems to me like the general service level – and I'm not talking about doctors – is higher in the VIP-section(s) than in a multibed ward.

 

Wish you all the best for your childbirth...????

 

 

 

 

[Max69xl]

13 hours ago, TheFreqFlyer said:

In my opinion, if you have private insurance and/or cost is no object, then a birth at a private hospital is far superior. Fathers allowed in the delivery room, if you choose the right hospital then natural birth is an option and less pressure to receive unwanted interventions. At a public hospital, you're basically forced to do whatever they tell you. 

No need what so ever for a private hospital. That's just a waste of money. Where do you think the majority of kids are delivered in Thailand? I help you with the answer = at government hospitals. 

[richard_smith237]

17 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

No need what so ever for a private hospital. That's just a waste of money. Where do you think the majority of kids are delivered in Thailand? I help you with the answer = at government hospitals. 

Yet anyone who can afford it goes to a Private hospital. Why? I help you with the answer = Better Privacy, more comfortable, Doctors have more time (less overloaded with patients), more round the clock nursing.

 

All of my Wife’s friends have chosen private hospitals for a reason. 

 

The reason someone wouldn’t is financial. 

 

That said, as Max pointed out, birth at a government hospital is where most Thai’s go because and this is also fine but the levels of comfort and degree of attention are less for obvious reasons - the doctors and nurses are stretched more thinly due to budget constraints. 

[jumbo]

year ago niece of my wife gave birth in government hospital, we visited, she was in a hall way of sorts with 2 other women and their babies.... not sure if I would want my wife to go through something like that...

 

[PETERTHEEATER]

18 hours ago, Boomer6969 said:

I had my vasectomy just after in the same hospital with my private doctor.

Simple isn't  it? Snip, snip  and Bob's your auntie

[LeoCesar]

If you chose to deliver at a public hospital you can not have the father with you in the room.

And make sure you wont lose sight of the baby no matter what.

No one in there is to be trusted.

Anything can happen.

[Satcommlee]

re: the comment on BUPA, I believe parents have to be members first and for at least 10 months (At least that was the case when I started with BUPA international, in response to my soon to be new responsibility)

[Ray394]

Hi all, thanks SO much for all the advice and sharing your experiences. So it looks like the best option for me is... finding a nice public hospital where has NICU, and become a private patient from a certain doctor.. 

 

Anyway, I already chose myself to do a c-section, as I'm a very very small lady and my husband is very big and he was born over 4kg.. so I actually don't mind if private hospital is pushing me to do c-section. Although emergency care would be a problem there with extra, unexpected $$. 

 

Thanks all. 

[BritManToo]

On 9/2/2020 at 2:40 PM, LeoCesar said:

If you chose to deliver at a public hospital you can not have the father with you in the room.

And make sure you wont lose sight of the baby no matter what.

No one in there is to be trusted.

Anything can happen.

Was never a problem as far as I was concerned, my misses had our baby in the government hospital.

The babies were all kept in rows of baskets in a separate room when mom was busy.

Absolutely no mistaking my baby, he was the pinkish white one, and looked totally different to every other of the 50 babies.

Didn't even need to ask my name, or look at name tags, when I asked for baby, they just gave me the different foreign looking one.

 

PS.

Good luck with the birth, have a healthy and happy baby.

Edited September 7, 2020 by BritManToo

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, Ray394 said:

Hi all, thanks SO much for all the advice and sharing your experiences. So it looks like the best option for me is... finding a nice public hospital where has NICU, and become a private patient from a certain doctor.. 

 

Anyway, I already chose myself to do a c-section, as I'm a very very small lady and my husband is very big and he was born over 4kg.. so I actually don't mind if private hospital is pushing me to do c-section. Although emergency care would be a problem there with extra, unexpected $$. 

 

Thanks all. 

You really should change yoyr SS hospital registration and there is probably enough time to do so.

[Ray394]

19 hours ago, Sheryl said:

You really should change yoyr SS hospital registration and there is probably enough time to do so.

Yap definitely, now I'm looking at the list of hospitals but with my limit knowledge, it's a bit difficult to tell which is good one which is not. I'm still 5 weeks now so I will figure it out in next couple months!

 

Meanwhile Sheryl, do you happen to know a couple recommended hospital lists other than very famous one like Chula? I heard Chula is very difficult to get in. Thanks

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, Ray394 said:

Yap definitely, now I'm looking at the list of hospitals but with my limit knowledge, it's a bit difficult to tell which is good one which is not. I'm still 5 weeks now so I will figure it out in next couple months!

 

Meanwhile Sheryl, do you happen to know a couple recommended hospital lists other than very famous one like Chula? I heard Chula is very difficult to get in. Thanks

Chula as far as I know is not accepting new SS enrollnent. Can you post the names of available hosputals hete? Then I can advise further

[Ray394]

On 9/8/2020 at 1:19 PM, Sheryl said:

Can you post the names of available hosputals hete? Then I can advise further

Hi Sheryl, here's the list I receive from my team.

[Sheryl]

1 hour ago, Ray394 said:

Hi Sheryl, here's the list I receive from my team.

 

 

I am pretty sure not all of these are accepting new SS enrolment  e.g. Chulkalongkorn and Siriraj who are both listed in section 1.

 

 

 

Govt hospitals  that would be good are: #1 (Vajira) , #3 Chulalongkorn, #6 Police Hospital,  #8 Pramutkongklao Hospital (Army Hosp), #9 Bhumiol  Ayuledej Hosp (Air Force Hosp), #10 Rajawithi,   #11 Ramathibodhi,  #13 Lerdsin, #15 Siriraj, #16 SomdelPhraPinklao (Navy)

 

Find out which of these will accept new enrollment

 

Among the private ones, #20 Mission Hospital and #25  Sikarin would be best (note that Sikarin is out by Bang Na while Mission is near Democracy Monument) .

 

 

[Ray394]

On 9/30/2020 at 5:07 PM, Sheryl said:

 

 

I am pretty sure not all of these are accepting new SS enrolment  e.g. Chulkalongkorn and Siriraj who are both listed in section 1.

 

 

 

Govt hospitals  that would be good are: #1 (Vajira) , #3 Chulalongkorn, #6 Police Hospital,  #8 Pramutkongklao Hospital (Army Hosp), #9 Bhumiol  Ayuledej Hosp (Air Force Hosp), #10 Rajawithi,   #11 Ramathibodhi,  #13 Lerdsin, #15 Siriraj, #16 SomdelPhraPinklao (Navy)

 

Find out which of these will accept new enrollment

 

Among the private ones, #20 Mission Hospital and #25  Sikarin would be best (note that Sikarin is out by Bang Na while Mission is near Democracy Monument) .

 

 

Thanks a lot Sheryl!