How Much Do You Need To Deliver A Baby In Singapore?

Children are any family’s treasure – meaning they also cost you a fortune from the minute you discover those little bundles of joy. Things get even pricier if you decide to go down the private doctor/healthcare route.

In emergencies, you will also need a lot of money for your baby.

But your baby is well worth everything.

Let’s break down these costs to see what you can expect. With good financial planning, bringing up your child will be a breeze and you’ll also avoid unwanted financial issues.

1. Pregnancy Check-ups

Pregnancy check-ups are essential if you want to deliver a healthy baby. Frequent problems include genetic conditions affecting the baby or diabetes and hyperthyroidism affecting the mother.

You’ll have to do a slew of blood tests and scans to avoid that slew of troubles. We’ve detailed these tests according to the stages of your pregnancy:

First Trimester

The first trimester is a wild ride. You may feel a mix of overwhelm, excitement, and anxiety. Add a sprinkle of morning sickness lasting all day long, and you’ll have an explosive cocktail.

The biggest worry during the first trimester is losing the baby.

Many moms-to-be frantically check their miscarriage risk weekly during the first trimester. Although this horrific event does happen, the risk decreases with each passing week.

If you take good care of yourself.

That’s why it’s essential to arrange regular check-ups with your gynaecologist, following their advice. For example, if everything looks normal, you may have just one or two check-ups. If your doctor diagnoses you with a specific condition, such as pregnancy-induced hypothyroidism or placental abruption, you may have to go for weekly check-ups.

How much does all that cost?

• Public hospital check-ups are subsidised, so you don’t have to worry about their costs.
• Private hospital visits cost $150-$250.
• Potential supplements and medicine can tip the scales with another $350-$550.

Pro tip: Always take the supplements and medications that your doctor recommends. To decrease the cost, purchase these drugs from outside pharmacies.

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Second and Third Trimesters

Once you reach the second trimester, you feel more at ease with your pregnancy. Your baby is on its way, so you have to monitor your health status carefully.

That’s where the prenatal package comes in.

Instead of paying for separate check-ups, your ob-gyn will propose a lump-sum package that includes several services. Each gynaecologist has a particular offer, covering different items.

For example, some ob-gyns don’t include supplements in their package.

That’s an advantage if you don’t need any vitamins or minerals. But if you do, you’ll need to put aside this money and purchase the supplements yourself.

Besides, separate check-ups may cost more than the complete package.

So why choose a pay-per-visit fee?

• You can’t afford a lump sum altogether, but you can fit the price of each visit separately in your monthly budget or:
• You’re not sure if you want to keep your current ob-gyn.

Here’s how much all that would cost:

• Public hospital check-ups: $500
• Private hospital check-ups: $2,000-$2,500
• Lump-sum package at private ob-gyn: $1,500-$2,000

Important: Optional screenings like the Down syndrome test or amniocentesis aren’t included in the above figures. If your doctor recommends these tests or any others, you’ll have to pay for them separately. However, it is always better to be safe than sorry!

If you and your partner require extra cash for these check-ups, CreditMaster can help you!

2. Delivery

Delivering your baby is a magical moment, regardless of the method you choose/have to choose. But delivery is the most costly part of this whole process.

If you’re a first-timer, you’d better sit down before reading these prices. There are significant price differences between subsidised and unsubsidised hospitals, as well as class A, B and C wards.

Vaginal Delivery

Vaginal delivery is cheaper than a C-section, and public hospitals are more affordable than private ones. Even so, the average costs are skyrocketing compared to other countries with free healthcare:

Public Hospitals:

• Operation fee: $1700 (ward A) and $1,366 (ward B1)
• Other fees: $3,343 (ward A) and $2,373 (ward B1)

Thus, the total bill for unsubsidised hospitals is usually:

• $5,016 for ward A
• $3,370 for ward B1

For subsidised hospitals, the expenses get to:

• $1,404 for ward B2
• $1,204 for ward C

There’s good news:

Some C wards in public hospitals can cost as little as $681 at the time of this writing. The above prices are all estimations and may differ for each.

Private Hospitals

Private hospital fees cost much more than public ones, especially if you want your privacy and opt for a single room. The average cost, according to the Ministry of Health, is $8.456 for a private hospital average birth, with the following fees:

• Surgeon: $2,675
• Anaesthetist: $800
• Facility fee: $1,522
• Other fees: $3,378

The most affordable private hospital at the time of this writing is Parkway East, with an average cost reaching $7,754. Gleneagles takes the cake for the most expensive facility, with a median bill in the five-figure range ($10,495).

If you’re okay with sharing a ward with another mamma, the average bill across private hospitals is between $6,015 and $8,592. Expected costs plummet to $5,388-$6,270 for 4-bed wards.

C-section

C-sections are usually more expensive because your doctor will have to do more delicate manoeuvres. As such, their fee is higher.

Besides, you’ll need anaesthesia and a more extended hospital stay.

Public Hospitals

C-section at public hospitals has the following median costs:

• A-ward: $8,413
• B1-ward: $7,201
• B2-ward: $2,536
• C-ward: $2,261

Private Hospitals

Having a C-section at a private hospital raises the average price to $12,782. This bill includes the following amounts:

• Surgeon: $8,343
• Anaesthetist: $4,280
• Facility fee: $2,670
• Other fees: $4,281

Remember: That’s just the median pay; some private hospitals are below this line and others are way above it. For example, Mount Alvernia’s median C-section cost reaches $11,225. By contrast, getting your baby through C-section at Mount Elizabeth hospital reaches $18,712.

As always, you can reduce this expense by sharing the room with other beautiful mammas:

• 2-bed ward: $10,206-$13,062
• 4-bed ward: $8,847-$10,961

While the standard hospital stay is two nights for vaginal delivery, you’ll need to spend three or four nights in the hospital if you have a C-section. Also, notice how private hospitals’ prices vary widely with C-sections compared to vaginal births.

Warning: Serious complications increase your bill to:

• 1-bed ward: $12,982 (MAH) to $17,594 (GEH)
• 2-bed ward: $10,786 (MAH) to $11,949(TMC)
• 4-bed ward: $10,985 (TMC)

Being Financially Prepared For Your Child’s Arrival

As you can see, vaginal delivery costs less than a C-section, and public hospitals are cheaper than private ones. Besides, public healthcare in Singapore is practised at a very high standard, so you’ll always have stellar treatment.

Private hospitals, however, give you more options and privacy.

Besides, vaginal births can always lead to complications. In that case, an emergency C-section will cost much more than a planned one. For some mothers, they don’t have a choice between the two. The doctor will recommend the best procedure.

Pro tip: Consider your baby’s paediatrician too. While your little one is in the hospital, they’ll need a doctor looking out for them, and you’ll foot that bill too.

Of course, any additional procedures and drugs will increase your bill. So, it’s not always a good idea to plan for a strict budget.

And, don’t forget about your baby’s mandatory vaccinations, diapers, formula, and required equipment. All these costs will come quickly and urgently.

Medisave can help cover part of that cost: $900 in prenatal expenses, $1,900 for your hospital stay, and $2,150 for the C-section. That’s $4,950 you can deduct from your total spend.

But your end bill can be four times that amount.

Needless to say, financial problems can trigger a lot of stress, especially during pregnancy. That’s no good either for you or your baby.

Let us help.

CreditMaster offers specific personal loans that help you cover the cost of your prenatal check-ups and delivery. Our affordable packages easily fit into any monthly budget, so you and your little one can get the care you deserve worry-free.

With monthly repayments, it’s easy with CreditMaster. Apply here.