Your Guide to Giving Birth in Thailand as a Foreigner
Expecting a child abroad can be both exciting and daunting as finding a suitable hospital for delivery can put a damper on the excitement of preparing for parenthood and welcoming your child. Fortunately, you will be happy to know that Thailand has some of the best hospitals for giving birth.
Are you an expat expecting a child in Thailand? Are you also looking to compare the cost of maternity care in Thailand? This guide by Pacific Prime Thailand will discuss giving birth in Thailand as a foreigner, including the various hospitals available, maternity insurance, and more.
Childbirth and Maternity Services in Thailand
In Thailand, approximately 99% of babies are delivered in hospitals with high-quality childbirth and maternity care services, though most expats tend to pay more for private hospitals due to a lack of subsidized healthcare for foreigners in Thailand.
Thailand’s private hospitals provide world-class, all-inclusive maternity and labor packages, granting you access to a dedicated obstetrician, midwife, or the whole team of specialists at the ready for the delivery for a lower average cost in comparison to many countries like the United States.
While anybody can access public medical facilities in Thailand such as hospitals and clinics, it’s worth noting that only Thai nationals can get free healthcare via the country’s Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS).
However, expats working and paying social security in Thailand are also entitled to Thailand’s social security system. Otherwise, expats will have to pay for maternity services themselves.
Fortunately, maternity insurance will allow you to access quality maternity care without straining your finances, which brings us to our next point.
The Cost of Giving Birth in Thailand for Foreigners
The exact cost of giving birth in Thailand will vary depending on the particular delivery procedure and duration of your hospital stay. For instance, below is a rundown of different types of delivery procedures, along with their corresponding hospital stay duration and costs, from Bangkok Hospital:
- Normal Labor (3 days/2 nights): ฿110,400
- C-section (4 days/3 nights): ฿151,000
- C-section for twins (4 days/3 nights): ฿240,000
- Tubal Ligation Post Delivery (duration of stay: N/A): ฿38,000
- ELITE Maternity and Exclusive care for Normal Labor (8 days/7 nights): ฿262,200
- ELITE Maternity and Exclusive care for C-section (8 days/7 nights): ฿288,000
Recommended Private Hospitals for Foreigners Giving Birth in Thailand
Some recommended private hospitals for giving birth in Thailand as a foreigner include Samitivej Hospital, Bamrungrad Hospital, and more. Each hospital offers different types of benefits for mothers such as 24/7 medical assistance, recovery rooms, and many more.
In comparison to its public counterpart, despite the much higher cost, private hospitals offer shorter waiting times, which really comes in handy for expat parents looking to seek urgent maternity care in preparation for the baby’s delivery.
In the sections to follow, we have compiled some recommended private hospitals for foreigners who are expecting a child in Thailand.
Samitivej Hospital
Samitivej Hospital’s Pregnancy Care Programme provides a predictive and preventative approach with precise personalized medicine, ensuring every single step from conception to birth is smooth, safe, and healthy.
The team of excellently trained experts at Samitivej’s Women’s Health Center consists of obstetricians, gynecologists, maternal fetal medicine specialists, geneticists, neonatologists, lactation specialists, and nurse midwives.
Bamrungrad Hospital
Delivery rooms at Bamrungrad Hospital are available 24/7 with available services such as the generally preferred natural childbirth method as well as its vaginal alternative with the help of epidural analgesia and the safest being Cesarean section (s-section) delivery.
By the delivery date, a skilled medical team consisting of your chosen doctor, nurses, anesthesiologists, and your doula will closely care for the mother and child with the nursery staff caring for the child’s health diligently upon birth.
In the event of the slightest detected abnormality surrounding the baby, they will be promptly placed in NICU care courtesy of physicians and trained nurses available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.
Bangkok Hospital
Bangkok Hospital’s Women’s Health Center offers comprehensive maternity care through two main maternity packages, Standard and Exclusive.
The Standard Package (4 days/3 nights) features a Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) team providing care throughout your pregnancy, a special team of doctors and nurses for smooth delivery in the state-of-the-art delivery room, a comfortable recovery room, and a lactation consultant.
The Exclusive Package (8 days/7 nights) features the same benefits as its Standard counterpart with the addition of nutritionist recommendations for mothers, postpartum physical therapists, dermatologists, and postpartum care to address anxiety or other mental health problems.
If you would like to learn more about Bangkok Hospital’s different maternity care packages, click the link below for further reading: 360 Degrees Maternity Care at Bangkok Hospital | Bangkok Hospital
Should I Opt for a Natural Delivery or a C-Section Delivery?
We previously mentioned that natural delivery is a preferred alternative among mothers while the c-section delivery is considered safer, which begs the question of whether mothers should opt for a natural delivery or a c-section delivery.
Whether you should get a c-section delivery or just a natural delivery will depend on various factors such as the baby’s position, the mother’s health, and the potential risks involved.
For instance, natural delivery means the mother will have a lower risk of needing a blood transfusion and postpartum infections, which will require you to go to the hospital again within the first two months following childbirth.
However, natural delivery could injure your pelvic floor muscles, which can cause bowel and bladder control problems and could lead to surgery.
On the other hand, a c-section delivery may be more suitable if:
- You are expecting multiple babies, such as twins or triplets.
- Your baby is in a breech or bottom-first position.
- You had a vertical C-section incision
- You have health issues, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or infections like active herpes, that make natural delivery unsafe.
- The placenta (which supplies nutrients and oxygen to your baby) blocks your uterus’ opening.
If you’re unsure about whether you should deliver your baby naturally or through a c-section operation, please consult your doctor for recommendations.
Maternity Insurance for Expats in Thailand
Expats who don’t work and pay social security in Thailand will have to pay for maternity services on their own and only Thai nationals are entitled to free healthcare through the UCS. But not all hope is lost as maternity insurance allows access to quality maternity care for expats.
Maternity insurance serves as an additional layer of coverage on top of default health insurance plans, available for purchase as an extra benefit to address pregnancy and childbirth-related costs as well as potential congenital birth defects and other complications in certain plans.
Different maternity insurance plans will also feature a network of hospitals where your maternity services will be eligible for coverage.
Waiting Period
When securing a maternity insurance plan, please keep in mind that all plans will have a waiting period of at least 10 to 12 months (though the exact duration may vary depending on the particular insurer).
During this time, maternity benefits won’t be covered and you will have to wait for some time before the coverage becomes effective. Thus, it’s crucial to secure maternity insurance ahead of time to prevent any excessive medical expenses.
If you have any questions regarding the specific duration of the waiting period, be sure to contact your selected insurer for details.
What Maternity Insurance Covers
Maternity insurance covers expenses from prenatal care, childbirth, and post-delivery care. This may also include obstetrician consultations, delivery costs (regardless of whether it’s a natural or C-section delivery), ultrasound scans, hospital stays, follow-up appointments, and medications.
Certain plans may have limitations when it comes to the coverage amount for maternity expenses. Thus, read through the terms and conditions carefully to understand these limits so you can avoid unexpected out-of-pocket expenses on certain maternity services.
The Cost of Maternity Insurance
The exact cost of a maternity insurance plan will vary depending on various factors such as your age, health and wellbeing status, coverage limits, and the particular insurance provider.
When selecting a maternity insurance plan, always make sure to forego any price-based biased decisions in favor of plan comprehensiveness as the cheapest plan won’t guarantee comprehensive coverage and leave you with odd gaps of uninsured areas where you’ll have to pay out of pocket.
How to Find the Right Maternity Insurance Plan
Beyond foregoing price-based decisions, finding the right maternity insurance plan that aligns with your budget and unique healthcare needs requires thoughtful consideration of your unique maternity needs, multiple comparisons, and a second opinion.
Below are ways to find the right maternity insurance plan as an expat:
- Define Your Maternity Needs: When selecting a maternity insurance plan, your maternity needs come first. Define what you need such as delivery choice preferences, hospital selections, or childcare services.
- Compare Plans: It’s also a good idea to compare as many plans as you can so you can see their different price points and benefits offered. That way, you can comb through and filter out plans until you can find one that aligns with your budget and unique maternity needs.
- Get a Second Opinion: Since you’re already doing plan comparisons, getting a second opinion from an insurance broker is strongly recommended as they can help you filter out and select plans.
If you would like to learn more about the role of an insurance broker in the insurance industry and how they can help you select a suitable health insurance plan, click the link below for further reading:
The Relevance of Brokers in the Health Insurance Industry
Recommended Maternity Insurance Providers for Foreigners Giving Birth in Thailand
Some notable maternity insurance providers recommended for giving birth in Thailand as a foreigner include AXA, Cigna, and more. In the following sections, we will briefly discuss each insurance provider’s maternity coverage and benefits.
AXA
AXA Global’s Prestige and Prestige Plus plans, with an annual limit of USD $3,200,000 and $8,000,000, respectively, are two of the most comprehensive plans available as seen in its additional benefits not seen in other plans, one of which is routine pregnancy care.
The Prestige plan offers up to USD $16,000 worth of maternity care coverage while its Prestige Plus counterpart offers up to USD $19,200 in maternity care coverage. Before the benefits become effective, please note that there will be an 18-month waiting period.
Cigna
Cigna Global’s Gold and Platinum plans, with a USD $2,000,000 and unlimited annual limit, respectively, feature USD $7,000 and $14,000 worth of inpatient routine maternity coverage. What’s more, Cigna also covers congenital conditions, newborn care, and more.
Allianz Care
In Allianz Care’s Care Plus and Care Pro health insurance plans, maternity insurance coverage is available as an add-on.
You have the option of choosing either the Bloom Plus plan with USD $13,500 worth of routine maternity coverage and $20,250 for childbirth complications coverage or the Bloom plan with $6,750 for routine maternity coverage and $13,500 for childbirth complications coverage.
Conclusion
While giving birth in Thailand as a foreigner may prove challenging at first, with renowned private hospitals like Bamrungrad or Samitivej hospital available and with high quality maternity services, foreigners can expect a safe, hassle-free delivery procedure just in time for welcoming their little angels.
While finding certain hospitals in Thailand as a foreigner in preparation for giving birth may be challenging, you can always craft a safety net for your family with a health insurance plan.
Having the right health insurance plan can safeguard your finances from out-of-pocket payment when seeking treatment. What’s more, maternity coverage is also available as an additional benefit so that you can access quality maternity care for both your spouse and your child.
While finding a specific plan that matches your healthcare needs and budget can be difficult, we are happy to report that it doesn’t always have to be a headache and we’re here to help you.
As an experienced international health insurance broker, Pacific Prime Thailand has helped both local citizens and expats find a suitable health insurance plan, such as travel, international, maternity plans, and more, that match their budget range and specific healthcare needs.
Whether you’re an expat living in Thailand or a local Thai citizen yourself looking for adequate healthcare, our team of specialists will be more than happy to help you out with completely impartial advice at no additional cost.
If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Or, if you are interested in comparing different health insurance plans available from multiple insurers, feel free to get a free quote here.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I conceive a child in Thailand, does that mean my child will have Thai citizenship?
Giving birth in Thailand as a foreigner doesn’t necessarily mean your child will gain Thai citizenship as only babies born to both Thai parents or at least one Thai parent. If both parents aren’t Thai, then that means the child won’t get Thai citizenship.
How long should I stay in the hospital after giving birth before I can take my baby home?
After a natural delivery at a private hospital, it’s advisable to stay at least two to three nights to ensure you and the baby are well. This will also allow you, as the mother, to recover from potential postpartum complications and let the hospital staff help take care of the baby.
What foods can I eat after a c-section delivery?
Foods rich in protein, calcium, whole grains, vitamins, minerals, and iron are recommended after a c-section delivery. Protein heals tissues and muscles while calcium reinforces bones, whole grains produce breast milk, vitamins repair tissues, and iron helps recover blood after the operation.
What foods should I avoid after a c-section delivery?
Avoid deep fried, spicy, cold, and undercooked foods as weight gain, bloating, or other digestive problems can cause discomfort around the incision area. Cold or undercooked foods will also make you more prone to diseases due to lowered immunity common with postpartum mothers.
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