Cost of delivery in Assunta Hospital 2023 by Dr Cecilia Wong
I do understand that couples are often concern of the cost of having their babies delivered in a private hospital in Klang Valley. It is the most costly health event families are likely to experience during their childbearing years. Maternity costs in a private healthcare in Malaysia is still relatively affordable. Therefore, if the couple is seeking a more personalized professional care with a comfortable one-to-one midwife care during delivery, than that can be offered by the public hospital, be prepared to spend on average from RM 8,000 to RM 16,000 to have your complete pregnancy care and delivery done in Assunta Hospital, if no serious complication. But a lot of factors can affect the total cost of your delivery.
Type of Birth
Vaginal delivery or ceasarean section (LSCS). The type of birth could mean an average difference of RM4000 to RM8000 in your hospital bill. However, I could only estimate whether you can achieve a vaginal birth or required a c-section, predictable at earliest from 36-37 weeks of pregnancy.
Vaginal deliveries account for about 8 in 10 childbirths in my practice. Vaginal delivery for on average, can cost from RM 4000 during office hour. This is the average cost for single room stay of 2 days 1 night. After office hour delivery can cost from RM5,000 because woman may need to stay another extra night in addition of surcharges This does not include complications eg instrument deliveries, maternal fever, prolonged labour or excessive bleeding. Usage of epidural can incur additional RM1500-2000. Vaginal birth for a subsequent pregnancy of the woman have a prior caesarean delivery, on average, can cost from RM5000. However, vaginal delivery with complications requiring an operating room procedure eg emergency LSCS can cost an average from RM 10000 to RM 12000 for three days hospitalization stay.
Ceasarean sections(LSCS) occur in about 2 out of 10 deliveries. LSCS is a major operation that involves anesthesia and longer hospital stays. When the woman stay only 3 days and 2 nights, a planned LSCS under spinal during office hours cost from RM 7500. A patient with previous surgery with a planned LSCS during office hours can cost from RM 8000 to RM 9000 due to risk of adhesions and need of general anaesthesia.
At Assunta Hospital, both the mother and baby will have a separate bills. The average baby bills delivered vaginally (without incubator care) is from RM 1500 while the cost of baby delivered by LSCS is from RM2000 .
Mom's and Baby's Health
Happy and healthy -- that's all that matters, right? Although that wish has nothing to do with hospital costs, complications can really increase them.
Some common delivery complications that can increase delivery cost include pregnant patient with fever, anemia requiring blood transfusion, hypertension, gestational diabetes, placenta praevia, retained placenta and postpartum hemorrhage (bleeding more than 500mls after delivery)
Many of these complications are out of your hands, but you can help to minimize the risk by getting regular antenatal care and informed to your obstetrician about your health. Of note is to avoid consumption of herbs from roots or bark which can cause increase bleeding and careful weight control.
Premature birth especially before 32 weeks gestation contribute to the most expensive cost. Premature birth can occur in about 1 of 50 pregnancies. Average costs for premature birth infants can cost up to RM 2000-3000 a day. A rough estimate of medical expenses of a 32 week premature infant who stay around 4 weeks in hospital can incur charges from around RM 20,000. However, knowing the symptoms and avoiding particular risk factors can lower your chance of going into premature labour. If you are pregnant, talk to your obstetrician about what you can do to help prevent premature delivery. If you do go into premature labor, your doctor may use medications to halt uterine contractions, but those tocolytic medications and nursing care are going to cost you RM 2800 for a day stay in delivery suite. Option of transfer care to public hospital is offered for financial or logistic reasons.
Health Insurance Coverage
You've probably given a lot of thought to your health insurance coverage and costs. However, there is no insurance for maternity coverage in Malaysia unlike Australia and USA. There are insurance coverage for incubator care for preterm babies or babies with congenital anomalies, however, the coverage is limited. Such incidents may be uncommon but difficult to predict or prevent despite best care given and test done to exclude genetic disease taken and detail scan done at 18-22 weeks. For Malaysians, there is the option to continue care in Government Hospital where the cost is heavily subsidized by the Malaysian Government.
As Covid 19 is considered endemic situation in Malaysia, women admitted to hospital NO longer need to RTKhave Covid test.