Antenatal classes and screening tests

[advancebooking]

Have you ever participated in a Antenatal class in a govt' or private hospital in Thailand. How was it? In the LOS is it only necessary to register for this in the 6th or 7th month? My gf and I decided to go and check out the Antenatal dept of the local govt hospital this morning and it was really busy and looked very dis-organised with women at various stages of pregnancy. Is it worthwhile attending these classes at a govt hospital?

The timing of the class starts from 8am for a few hours and this is not convenient for my gf as she starts work at 9am. She is a civil servant and thus can get all this for free but she wants to go to the local private hospital instead. I dont see the point in paying for the birth etc at a private hospital when she is entitled to the free option due to her employment status. If your wife had a baby at a public hospital were you satisfied with the level of care?

On the subject of screening and diagnostic tests...

Did you get any of the following tests done?:

- combined test week 11 - 14 weeks

- cell free DNA test after 10 weeks

- Quadruple test: 15 - 22

- Triple test: 16 to 18 weeks

From the research that I have done, deciding on whether or not to go ahead with genetic or diagnostic testing is a personal choice. I speculate that we might have to go to a more sophisticated hospital in bkk to get this testing done as not sure if the govt hospital is any good in this regard.

Did your pregnant wife ever go for a CVS or Amniocentesis test? What was the basis of your decision / circumstances to have this testing done?

cheers if your able to provide any info on the above subject matters

[Sheryl]

Govt hospital is not going to do any genetic testing unless there are risk factors. They will, however, test the mother for thalassemia trait and if positive, then test the fetus for that. Other genetic tests would depend on risk factors or any abnormality suspected from ultrasound.

There are private hospitals which accept Thai SS, but to use them must be registered at them and I think it is just once or twice a year that one can change the hospital your are registered at.

Whether that is advisable is another matter, often the private hospitals in the SS schemes are small and not so good. This is especially true upcountry.

Many TV members have delivered at govt hospitals. The care is fine medically, but you will not be able to be in the delivery room and things like that, and communications with father/family are definitely a weak point.

Private hospitals in Thailand are very prone to doing unnecessary c-sections, a government hospital will not. But be warned that many middle/upper class Thai women prefer c-section (some even consider a vaginal delivery to be "low class") and this can sometimes be the reason for preferring to deliver at a private hospital.

Can't advise re the quality of the antenatal classes, sorry. But she should attend them somewhere. Does not necessarily have to be the same hospital where she will deliver.

BTW, if you marry, you will also have free health care coverage - the civil service SS scheme includes children and spouses.

[thepool]

I have no idea where the research has been undertaken but antenatal care in Thailand pretty much mirrors antenatal care provided in the West.