Pregnant in China – What You Need to Know

Pregnant in China – What You Need to Know
Jan 11, 2014 By Andrea Scarlatelli , eChinacities.com

Giving birth to a child in China may at first feel like a rather daunting task. Whether it is your first child or your fifth, each experience is unique – and China will make it even more so! So while some expats still choose to return to their home countries for delivery, advances in labour and delivery practices here have rendered that trip largely unnecessary. The most important thing is to know your options and choose the one that feels most comfortable for you. While it is certainly helpful to listen to others' stories about giving birth in China, you must ultimately do what you feel is in the best interest of your family and future child. Read on for some things to keep in mind while considering, or undergoing, this process.

Before

Not to start out on a negative note, but it is important to research exactly what type of facilities are available to you (ie: within the radius of a short cab ride, as you will not want to travel far when the big day comes!) in case complications do occur. Probably the most important question in this case is whether or not a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU - 新生儿重症监护室) is present at your hospital of choice. Other issues you may want to research include whether lactation experts (哺乳专家) will be present immediately after delivery (while most people assume breastfeeding will come naturally, many times assistance is needed – or at least very helpful), what type of rooms are available (private or semi-private - 单人房还是半单人房), under what circumstances the staff at your chosen hospital considers medical intervention necessary, and the rules regarding the number of visitors allowed in the labour/delivery room. Many women like to form a birth plan beforehand, meaning they know whether they want a natural birth (自然分娩), a drug-assisted birth (药物催), normally with an epidural (硬脑膜), or a caesarean section (剖腹产). Just keep in mind that these plans are not written in stone – remaining flexible is the key to reducing stress during childbirth.

The issue of communication between mother and doctor is an important one, and will likely become more complicated due to language barriers in China. Even if your obstetrician speaks fluent English, chances are that at least a few of the nurses you come into contact with will not. Therefore, some expats recommend contacting a doctor from your home country in case you have questions that are not being answered to your satisfaction. Be sure you understand each and every form that you are handed once you check in to the hospital, as well as the instructions they give you for pre-labour care. Do not worry that you are being a “nuisance” by asking questions – being informed is more important than possibly annoying a staff member.

Public vs. private

Your hospital choices basically come down to three options: public Chinese hospitals, mid-range private hospitals, and foreign private hospitals. Stories abound of public Chinese hospitals being overcrowded (chances are you will have to share the room with at least two other women), forbidding significant others from entering the delivery room, and little or no English speaking staff. That being said, they are significantly cheaper than private hospitals, so if cost is an issue then this may be your best bet. Generally, costs for a natural birth in a Chinese hospital run around 3,000 RMB, with a C-section almost doubling that cost. This is for the basic labour and delivery, and doesn't include any medicine that may be administered during your stay. Many local public hospitals have opened up VIP wings for foreigners as well, which will bump your cost up to roughly the equivalent of a private hospital – about 40,000 RMB.

Mid-range private hospitals have mostly English speaking doctors and offer more Western commodities such as private rooms. Your most economical option here would be to go ahead and purchase a package, which will likely include complete pre- and postnatal care, a two to three day hospital stay, medication, and newborn vaccinations. These run from around 30,000 to 60,000 RMB, with another 30,000 RMB or so if you require a C-section. If you choose not to buy a package, keep in mind that prenatal appointments run around 700 RMB each, and roughly 17,000 RMB for the actual delivery (of course, it always depends on what kind of room you choose).

Foreign private hospitals guarantee that you will meet only with English speaking doctors and nurses, while basically offering the swankiest accommodations possible. Prices always depend on where exactly in China you are giving birth, but as an example, one of Shanghai's premiere foreign private hospitals charges upwards of 80,000 RMB for prenatal care, labour/delivery, and a three day hospital stay. While the medical equipment at such places will most likely be newer, and possibly more advanced than at other locations, this is by no means always the case. Take into consideration your budget, expectations, and peace of mind when deciding which location is right for you.

After

After the thrill of giving birth is over, it is all about the new mother and newborn's comfort. Some expats who have given birth in China find that certain things they had grown used to getting post-delivery in the West, such as ice packs, must specifically be requested here. One practice they do encourage in China is having your baby sleep in the same room with you during your hospital stay. While this mostly proves beneficial to both parties and allows more parent/child bonding time, do not feel guilty if you choose to have your baby put back in the hospital nursery for a few hours or at night so you can get some rest. It is better to have a well-rested new mom than a tired one – you will have plenty of time to lose sleep in the months to come!

Vaccinations will also be given to the baby in the day or two after his/her birth. While some shots, such as Hepatitis B (乙型肝炎), Polio (小儿麻痹), and DTaP (百日咳疫苗), are also given to newborns in the West, there are some vaccinations that are given specifically for Chinese born babies. These include BCG (tuberculosis -卡介苗) and Japanese B Encephalitis (日本乙型脑炎), both of which are more likely to be picked up here than in the West. Keep in mind that the BCG vaccination will leave a light pockmarked scar, but can be given on the baby's behind (instead of the usual arm) if you desire. The Measles & Mumps vaccine (麻疹与腮腺炎疫苗) is typically given about four months earlier here than in the West, while the Chinese ECM Group A(Epidemic Cerebrospinal Meningitis -中国A群脑膜炎) shot is similar to the Hib vaccination (嗜血杆菌疫苗) in the West.

At many hospitals, you will be given the option of using local vaccination serums or imported vaccination serums. The imported ones are obviously more expensive, but many new expat parents feel it is worth it, considering China's shaky manufacturing standards. As with all advice given while expecting a child (and you will certainly get plenty of it), take everything with a grain of salt. Learn as much as you can but, ultimately, go with your gut. Giving birth in China can provide great stories for years to come!

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Keywords: giving birth China vaccinations China newborn prenatal care China having children in China foreign private hospitals China Chinese hospitals pregnancy

8 Comments

All comments are subject to moderation by eChinacities.com staff. Because we wish to encourage healthy and productive dialogue we ask that all comments remain polite, free of profanity or name calling, and relevant to the original post and subsequent discussion. Comments will not be deleted because of the viewpoints they express, only if the mode of expression itself is inappropriate.

Pratibha329

I am from India, I got job in Zhejiang University China. So I want to know about the lumpsum amount of charge or cost of my child delivery. Please elaborate answer with private hospital by nearby

Aug 13, 2019 01:19 Report Abuse

Julia

Those people who said that giving birth in China is terrible weren't in Russia. If you want to bear a healty, robust child, you must give everybody money... and it doesn't mean that the service will be at least tolerable(((

May 04, 2012 23:19 Report Abuse

JustASec

yeah, thank god there are Western cities completely free of pollutants and harmful chemicals. Let's make a ton of money here and go back to our safe houses and enjoy worry-free lives.

High GDP is the reason Western countries have low infant mortality rates, NOT pollution. If you think clean air and water is all you need, then by all means head to central Africa! I hear the weather is quite nice this time of year.

May 03, 2012 21:31 Report Abuse

bartleby

i am a chinese guy, actually i am not haapy to let my wife be pregnant in china, but as you know, most of chinese people have nothing to choose, unless you donot want t o have a children. but back the topic, dude? why are you come here, this polluted place? i am serious curios that very much!

May 03, 2012 21:56 Report Abuse

bartleby

To wufnu: be glad to see your reply. Everything here is seems in dilemma, for one side, there are some places with fresh air, lots of trees, mountains that is very comfortable to live in, but poverty. on the other side, as the economy development, people in bigger cities enjoy high living standard but polluted environments, which life style do you like best? None, I guess. Right?
As a developed country people who live in your country must enjoy his/her life (at least comfortable environment and higher living standard), but people in here, should find the balance with living standard and environments, it is not acceptable to see any complaints when back to home with tired body.

May 06, 2012 02:42 Report Abuse

bartleby

totally agree with you. we should found the life banlance by myself. for me, i was born and grew up in countyrside and lived with fresh air, green mountains , but now, i am work in the modern city, i cannot say the living standard is improve a lot, but sometimes i just cannot breathe, but i must suffer it, otherwise i must give up my job. i thought you are lucky, first you are a forigner, you can left, have another life style that you like, the most important things is you truly know health is bloody important than anything! best wishes! by the way, if you can come beijing, i thing you will have lots of opportunities. maybe you can find a ideal life ways here which lived in countryside, buthave a good pay and a good hospital. think about this, beijing is better than wuhan, that is obviously!

May 10, 2012 19:19 Report Abuse