9 Steps Affordable Antenatal & Give Birth for Foreigner

In Singapore, it is not cheap for foreigners to do antenatal checkup & give birth because they will not be able to enjoy the government subsidized rate. So it is wiser directly go to private as in fact cheaper than go government hospital.

The definition of foreigner in this context refers to non-local of Singaporean or Permanent Resident (PR) or Long Term Visit Pass Plus (LTVP+) which include Employment Pass (EP), S Pass, Work Permit, Long Term Visit Pass etc. The steps below also applicable for Singaporean who wish to go through Private Gynae or Hospital.

Being a first-time parent, you will probably waste extra money for checkups and delivery where mostly they could be avoided by following this article. I did a lot of mistakes and each mistake cost me around $100-200 per visit. After carefully investigating and surveying, below is the right steps for you to do antenatal checkup and give birth affordably.

Background of My Wife
She is Indonesian Chinese who holding LTVP without the “+” with normal pregnancy without any major complication. The doctor that we had consulted was Obstetric and Gynae (OBYGN) and I will refer him as gynae for simplicity. I am writing this article as a capacity of first-time parent.

Affordable Steps

1. Gynae Clinic instead of GP Clinic
   Use pregnancy test kit to check if you are pregnant or not. It costs as low as $1 per test kit in the Carousel, Lazada etc. The double line will be more visible over the weeks as menses late. However, if you want to be 100% sure that you are pregnant, you can visit Gynae clinic as they will have all the equipment and lab test to verify the pregnancy. Avoid visiting usual GP Clinic as they will just check your pregnancy by using slightly better test kit besides writing referral letter to you which also cost unnecessary money too. If you feel pain or bleeding, not comfortable etc, then should go to hospital directly.
   
   
2. Survey on Gynae and their clinics for following
   – Gynae Location: Always make sure your clinic to be located near your home or office (so that easier for regular checkup). Check out the map we prepared of list of gynae and obstetric.
   – Checkup Price: Check the price of both consultation and subsequent visit
   – Packages: Ask for antenatal packages and examine what does the package offers and included
   – Delivery Hospital: ask your Gynae whether will deliver in which hospital (Gynae can charge very affordable fee for antenatal checkup but deliver at hospital that charge high price, so it is better to check). Find OBGYN that deliver at Thomson Medical or Parkway East Hospital.
   – Front Desk Attitude: We went to survey some OBGYN clinic, the attitude is not pleasant
   – Delivery Price: The Gynae estimation bill for both giving birth for Natural or C-Section
   – Operating hours and days: Some do not open over weekend or night
   
   
3. Pick a gynae and follow through until give birth
   If you keep on changing your gynae, you will waste money on multiple first-time consultation, which is way more expensive that subsequent visit. Unless the gynae is very bad, try to stick to the same gynae. If possible, pick gynae with packages instead of per consultation basis.
   
   
4. Sign up the antenatal package

   Normally antenatal package includes only for consultation, urine test and ultrasound 2D scan. For additional test, supplement and others, you need to pay separately. So, please be noted that there will be extra payment even after you sign for antenatal package.

   Some clinics offer two packages: before gestational week 20 and after week 20, while other offer package from week 8 or week 16 onward to delivery. It is more recommended to take packages that offers those before and after week 20 as pregnancy often is not stable during first trimester. Always check what is included in the package. For example, the one that I’m personally taking is before week 20 which cost me around $320 and includes 4 times consultation, urine test & 2D ultrasound scan. As for package after 20 weeks cost us $800 (9 Consultations, 1 post-natal consultation within 2 months of delivery, urine test, 2D ultrasound scan)

5. Price of Different Major Test, Scan or Vaccination

   – Detailed Scan/Fetal Anomaly Scan & Oscar Test ($585)
   – Harmony Test $800
   – Glucose Tolerance Test $50
   – Pertusis Vaccination $65
   – Ultrasound 3D Scan $150
   – Ultrasound 4D Scan $200

6. Self Purchase Supplement

   We were prescribed OBIMIN multivitamins & some other supplements from our gynae. You can compare the price and buy it outside if is cheaper for the same item. Some gynae will markup higher than outside such as Watson or Guardian or other pharmacists, so always double-check.

   Once they prescribed the supplement, for subsequent dosage, you can still purchase it yourself at outside if they cost way more expensive at gynae’s clinic.

7. Early Birth Deposit to Gynae

   At week 28 or earlier, most gynae will offer you a slight discount if you are engaging him for C-Section or Natural birth. However, they might opt you for a deposit. If you are comfortable and confident with your gynae, do not think twice to commit since have to pay anyway. You can get a couple of hundred discounts.

8. Average estimation of doctor fee for giving birth

   – Normal Vaginal Delivery $2,500
   – Asisted Vaginal Delivery $3,000
   – Elective Caesarean Section/ Hydrotheraphy $3,300

9. Four – Bedded Room of Affordable Private Hospital
   Pick 4 Bedded room as that’s the most affordable for foreigner. So far only Thomson Medical & Parkway East Hospital provided:
   i) Thomson Medical Centre 4 Bedded Room normal assisted delivery with Epidural ($3,015)
   ii) Parkway East Hospital 4 Bedded Room normal assisted delivery ($2,884)
   This is just basic room price, there are a lot miscellaneous cost that will add up. When you pay bill, would expect about $10,000 to $12,000 (inclusive the gynae price above).