I have just discovered that I am pregnant by complete surprise. I need lots of advice on how to go about having a baby in Hong Kong. My other two were born in UK where all consultations were from my GP and referrals from him to local hospital. I understand things are quite different here. Any recommendations, hints and advice will gratefully be received.
Newly pregnant
- Thread starter noella
- Start date
carang
Registered User
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
you have two choices: private or public
if you have a HKID then public delivery in the general OB ward is very cheap. i delivered in feb this year. i was in the hospital 4 times throughout my pregnancy, the last of which was for 2 weeks prior to and after my delivery. the total cost was no more than $3000 for everything (the only thing that it excludes are a couple of tests running around $60 each). the nursing staff was fantastic. my delivery was not all that i was hoping, as a matter of fact it was dreadful, but i knew that medically, it was the best place for me to be.
i had a friend who delivered one week before i did at matilda. her birth was everything she wanted it to be and then some. but she paid well over $60k for it.
in the end, to my way of thinking, unless you have great insurance that covers private 100%, there's a lot of other things (education for my boy, etc) to be had for the extra $57k that my friend paid.
i want to have another next year, i will go back through the public system.
you have two choices: private or public
if you have a HKID then public delivery in the general OB ward is very cheap. i delivered in feb this year. i was in the hospital 4 times throughout my pregnancy, the last of which was for 2 weeks prior to and after my delivery. the total cost was no more than $3000 for everything (the only thing that it excludes are a couple of tests running around $60 each). the nursing staff was fantastic. my delivery was not all that i was hoping, as a matter of fact it was dreadful, but i knew that medically, it was the best place for me to be.
i had a friend who delivered one week before i did at matilda. her birth was everything she wanted it to be and then some. but she paid well over $60k for it.
in the end, to my way of thinking, unless you have great insurance that covers private 100%, there's a lot of other things (education for my boy, etc) to be had for the extra $57k that my friend paid.
i want to have another next year, i will go back through the public system.
Hi Noella,
Congratulations. I had my first child in the UK and my second here in Hong Kong. They were completely different experiences.
I went down the private route as luckily everything was covered by insurance. The first thing I did was get a doctor. I can recommend Dr Dawkins. He's very gentle and will answer your myriad of questions. With him I bought a package, so that the antennatal visits were covered. I know he has now moved practices, so not sure whether he's still doing packages. I chose to give birth to my daughter at The Matilda. Having got the doctor sorted out, I then contacted the insurance company and they contacted the hospital directly to set up an account so that side of things was paid for. My husband still had to fill in a load of forms when we arrived in labour, but he didn't have to pay anything.
My doctor went on a course during the week of my due date and Dr Sally Ferguson actually delivered her. She was absolutely fantastic and I can't praise her highly enough. We are intending to have a third and I shall use Sally again.
The other excellent part of my labour was Hulda from Annerley Midwives. She was our doula/midwife. She came to the house when I went into labour and accompanied us to the hospital. She stayed for the entire birth and was ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. There were a few reasons that I chose to have a doula; I was new to Hong Kong and needed someone who knew the medical system very well and also I had heard that C-section rates in HK were alot higher than in the UK, so I wanted someone who was medically trained to fight my corner if necessary as I was determined that I didn't want a C-section. The package that I paid for with Hulda also meant that she visited my house after my daughter was born to weigh and measure her; they don't have health visitors like we do at home.
I should say something about the hospital. As I say my son was born on the NHS in Kettering General. My daughter was born in a 5 star hotel that they call the Matilda. The hospital was wonderful. They made every effort to follow my birth plan and I got the birth that I was looking for. The care and attention that I received from the midwives and Dr Ferguson, I'm sure made my recovery alot faster than with my first child. And the food is fabualous; it's actually prepared by a chef who used to work for one of the big hotels in Hong Kong. So from my experience, if your insurance will pay for it, I would'nt hesitate to recommend the Matilda.
I hope that helps a little. If there are any specific questions you have just ask. I came to Hong Kong, 6 months pregnant and managed to arrange everything in time. Just make sure you ask lots if questions and you'll get the answers you're looking for.
Jools
Congratulations. I had my first child in the UK and my second here in Hong Kong. They were completely different experiences.
I went down the private route as luckily everything was covered by insurance. The first thing I did was get a doctor. I can recommend Dr Dawkins. He's very gentle and will answer your myriad of questions. With him I bought a package, so that the antennatal visits were covered. I know he has now moved practices, so not sure whether he's still doing packages. I chose to give birth to my daughter at The Matilda. Having got the doctor sorted out, I then contacted the insurance company and they contacted the hospital directly to set up an account so that side of things was paid for. My husband still had to fill in a load of forms when we arrived in labour, but he didn't have to pay anything.
My doctor went on a course during the week of my due date and Dr Sally Ferguson actually delivered her. She was absolutely fantastic and I can't praise her highly enough. We are intending to have a third and I shall use Sally again.
The other excellent part of my labour was Hulda from Annerley Midwives. She was our doula/midwife. She came to the house when I went into labour and accompanied us to the hospital. She stayed for the entire birth and was ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. There were a few reasons that I chose to have a doula; I was new to Hong Kong and needed someone who knew the medical system very well and also I had heard that C-section rates in HK were alot higher than in the UK, so I wanted someone who was medically trained to fight my corner if necessary as I was determined that I didn't want a C-section. The package that I paid for with Hulda also meant that she visited my house after my daughter was born to weigh and measure her; they don't have health visitors like we do at home.
I should say something about the hospital. As I say my son was born on the NHS in Kettering General. My daughter was born in a 5 star hotel that they call the Matilda. The hospital was wonderful. They made every effort to follow my birth plan and I got the birth that I was looking for. The care and attention that I received from the midwives and Dr Ferguson, I'm sure made my recovery alot faster than with my first child. And the food is fabualous; it's actually prepared by a chef who used to work for one of the big hotels in Hong Kong. So from my experience, if your insurance will pay for it, I would'nt hesitate to recommend the Matilda.
I hope that helps a little. If there are any specific questions you have just ask. I came to Hong Kong, 6 months pregnant and managed to arrange everything in time. Just make sure you ask lots if questions and you'll get the answers you're looking for.
Joolshi Noella,
congratulations!
Like Jools, I was with Dawkins and he is VERY good (despite having to have an emergency c-section in the end as my son did not descend low enough to even consider a vaginal delivery) - I've been seeing him through one failed pregnancy (ectopic) and one successful pregnancy and he is an excellent OBGY and I would certainly go to him again.
( hear from my girlfriend in London that if you go NHS route, your regular check ups are with a midwife, here in HK when you go private, you head straight for an OBGY who will monitor you throughout your pregnancy and deliver you at a private hospital).
Unless things have changed, Dawkins only works out of Matilda Hospital (at the peak) - and as Jools mentioned, it's really a top notch facility with the best combination of really nice rooms, the best nurses and midwives and generally a very warm and reassuring feel. The only deciding factor would be costs in determining whether you go public or private (personally if insurance is covering I'd go private - giving birth is such a monumentally significant moment, you really want the best that there is to offer when you are in a foreign country) - our total hospital bill as a result of an emergency c-section (and staying in a private suite) was over just under HK$100k excluding Dawkin's charges.
The other private hospital on HK side which is quite popular is the Adventist hospital on Stubbs Road, depending on whether the OBGY you decide on practices out of there.
congratulations!
Like Jools, I was with Dawkins and he is VERY good (despite having to have an emergency c-section in the end as my son did not descend low enough to even consider a vaginal delivery) - I've been seeing him through one failed pregnancy (ectopic) and one successful pregnancy and he is an excellent OBGY and I would certainly go to him again.
( hear from my girlfriend in London that if you go NHS route, your regular check ups are with a midwife, here in HK when you go private, you head straight for an OBGY who will monitor you throughout your pregnancy and deliver you at a private hospital).
Unless things have changed, Dawkins only works out of Matilda Hospital (at the peak) - and as Jools mentioned, it's really a top notch facility with the best combination of really nice rooms, the best nurses and midwives and generally a very warm and reassuring feel. The only deciding factor would be costs in determining whether you go public or private (personally if insurance is covering I'd go private - giving birth is such a monumentally significant moment, you really want the best that there is to offer when you are in a foreign country) - our total hospital bill as a result of an emergency c-section (and staying in a private suite) was over just under HK$100k excluding Dawkin's charges.
The other private hospital on HK side which is quite popular is the Adventist hospital on Stubbs Road, depending on whether the OBGY you decide on practices out of there.
Thank you all for your replies!! A few questions, I have a GP here so would I see her or go straight for someone like Dr Dawkins? Also I have a history of ectopic pregnancies so will I be able to get an early scan? In the public hospitals is good English spoken. I must admit I am veering towards the private
option as our insurance covers 90 per cent, but how does it work. Do you pay as you go along or a big bill at the end?
Really appreciate your time!!
option as our insurance covers 90 per cent, but how does it work. Do you pay as you go along or a big bill at the end?
Really appreciate your time!!
Hi Noella,
I would go straight to the OBGY. It's not like the NHS you can ask for what you want, so if you want an early scan then request it; you or the insurance company will be paying for it, so often the doctor's are only too happy to oblige.
I'm afraid I don't have personal experience of the public hospitals and can only go on what friends say, and I have been told that the levels of English can vary.
Again in terms of paying the bills there are options. Some doctors offer a package, so you pay an amount of money up front and that entitles you to a number of visits etc. At other doctors you have to pay as you go and with the hospital there will be a bill at the end. Remember the doctor will charge you fees for their time whilst you are in hospital, as well as the hospital charging you fees. Hulda from Annerley Midwives offers packages that include antennatal classes, labour charges and post natal visits; she is more than worth the money and will be first person I book when we eventually get this third baby on the way.
Jools
I would go straight to the OBGY. It's not like the NHS you can ask for what you want, so if you want an early scan then request it; you or the insurance company will be paying for it, so often the doctor's are only too happy to oblige.
I'm afraid I don't have personal experience of the public hospitals and can only go on what friends say, and I have been told that the levels of English can vary.
Again in terms of paying the bills there are options. Some doctors offer a package, so you pay an amount of money up front and that entitles you to a number of visits etc. At other doctors you have to pay as you go and with the hospital there will be a bill at the end. Remember the doctor will charge you fees for their time whilst you are in hospital, as well as the hospital charging you fees. Hulda from Annerley Midwives offers packages that include antennatal classes, labour charges and post natal visits; she is more than worth the money and will be first person I book when we eventually get this third baby on the way.
Jools
rani
Administrator
Noella Congratulations!!!!
We have a list of popular Drs here:
http://www.geobaby.com/com/mxdirectory/list/17/gynecologists
Have a read through this thread on maternity costs:
http://www.geobaby.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104153
There's only one health visitor I know of in HK and that's Yvonne Heavyside. She's opened a new centre in Central and is organizing ante-natal classes, baby massage and helper training. Her contact details are here:
http://www.geobaby.com/com/mxdirectory/view/492/the-family-zone/
We have a list of popular Drs here:
http://www.geobaby.com/com/mxdirectory/list/17/gynecologists
Have a read through this thread on maternity costs:
http://www.geobaby.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104153
There's only one health visitor I know of in HK and that's Yvonne Heavyside. She's opened a new centre in Central and is organizing ante-natal classes, baby massage and helper training. Her contact details are here:
http://www.geobaby.com/com/mxdirectory/view/492/the-family-zone/
Thank you all! I have been referred to DR Ghosh of Veritas medical practise? Anyone used him, was a bit perplexed yesterday when I went for a scan. After doing an internal ultrasound and finding the sac in my womb, he said that it was too early to see a pulsation and to come back as he thought I was less pregnant then my dates showed. Afterwards he kept stressing that there was a 20% chance of miscarriage and not to tell anyone yet. Thought this was strange thing to say to a mother of 2 , am well aware of the risk. Was he just covering his back or does he suspect something is wrong?
Hi Noella,
In my experience the doctors in Hong Kong tend to be very cautious. My friend had Dr Ghosh and she was very pleased with him, though some of his advice did sound a little like scare mongering, especially as this was her first child. One of the great things about Hong Kong is if you don't like what the doctor is saying then you can always go and see someone else.
Jools
In my experience the doctors in Hong Kong tend to be very cautious. My friend had Dr Ghosh and she was very pleased with him, though some of his advice did sound a little like scare mongering, especially as this was her first child. One of the great things about Hong Kong is if you don't like what the doctor is saying then you can always go and see someone else.
Jools
Rohini
Registered User
Hi Noella,
Most of my friends have had DR. Gosh (and most have had emergency c-secs for some strange reason) but I guess you'll know straight off if you like him or not. I'd met him a few times at hospitals and always found him to be quite rushed and that wasn't for me. All my girlfriends also said that is bedside manners are OK, not great. So...I didn't see him as I needed someone to be patient and answer all my hundred questions. Again, you'll know from the first 2-3 visits if he's the right Dr. for you, and if not, then there's a whole list of gyno's on the site with great referrals.
Most of my friends have had DR. Gosh (and most have had emergency c-secs for some strange reason) but I guess you'll know straight off if you like him or not. I'd met him a few times at hospitals and always found him to be quite rushed and that wasn't for me. All my girlfriends also said that is bedside manners are OK, not great. So...I didn't see him as I needed someone to be patient and answer all my hundred questions. Again, you'll know from the first 2-3 visits if he's the right Dr. for you, and if not, then there's a whole list of gyno's on the site with great referrals.