Korean Job Discussion Forums

[rmene001]

can anyone tell me what costs are involved with maternity care in korea. We are heading to Korea in a week's time and I am only 5 wks pregnant but we are wanting to decide whether to have baby in korea or to come back home and have it...which means my husband will not be able to return home with me as his contract won't be finished.

Also, how often are the check ups, wot after care is provided once you have baby in korea.....

[Paddycakes]

Cost us about 600,000 won including delivery and about 5 days in the birthing center.

For some reason, after delivering babies Korean women spend a week sitting in the hospital for no real apparent reason.

The fun part is sleeping in your wife's hospital bed naked and eating seaweed soup with the Korean nurses walking in and out....

It's the highlight of their day...

[periwinkle]

[peppergirl]

I had my first baby here almost a year ago. Prenatal check-ups are as frequent as in Europe (at first every 3-4 weeks, in the third trimester every 2 weeks, near the end every week), plus they do an ultrasound at every check-up. I think we paid about 20000 won per check-up (sometimes more, if they do blood work or other tests).
I only stayed in the hospital for 2 nights, then headed home with the baby. They don't provide any regular check-ups once you are home with the baby (at least not that I know of), but you can always go to see a pediatrician or go to the public health center for check-ups and vaccinations.

[d-rail]

something that is sometimes not known by foreigners: an extremely high percentage of births in korea are done by cesarean section. I heard that it was somewhere in the mid 90 %. The birthday is planned ahead of time. Most doctors dont like natural births because they want to go home at 5:00, not wait around for a baby. so, they open her up. if you want a natural birth it may cause a fight with the doctor, but the nurses are generally simpathetic and understanding. they might even help your cause in a dispute.

[excitinghead]

Mid-90s? You're kidding right? My daughter was born 3 weeks ago on Saturday, and of the 20 babies in the hospital born just before and during the 2 days we were there, not a single one was born by ceasarian section. Needless to say, there was no pressure from anyone.

I admit, I do have a Korean friend who had to have one even though she was reluctant at first, but that was because they suddenly couldn't hear the baby's heartbeat and so it was an emergency.

I doubt that the rates are too much higher than in Western countries, not that they're not too high there either. The image that they're just as easy as natural births, and that natural births lead to problems with your sex life, are complete myths. Just a simple wikipedia search, for example, says that a ceasarian is major surgery and takes 6 weeks to recover from.

I went into the hospital fully prepared to argue with any doctor that wanted a ceasarian because they wanted to go home and watch the soccer, but got nothing but the most helpful non-pushy doctors and nurses imaginable, I was pleasantly suprised.

Update:, My wife has just looked over my shoulder, and tells me that the rate is actually about 40% in Korea.

[cubanlord]

[Paddycakes]

Periwinkle,

Wife did the ultrasounds once a month.

It seems to be common Korean practice.

It's certainly not common in Canada because when I told my mon (an R.N.) about the scans every month her first words out of her mouth were: "What's wrong with the baby!"

Apparently in Canada/US you only do frequent ultra sounds if there is a problem.

The ultrasounds were expensive, but at least we got to keep the snap shots so you can see the development in the Baby Book.

Also, wife delivered naturally at 4am. No C-section.

This was at a birthing clinic, though, guess they have doctors on staff 24 hours a day.

Comment from another Korean woman to my wife at the birthing center: "What's wrong with your baby... why is she so white?".

Expect that.

[casey's moon]

We pay about 20,000 for ultrasound and I have no complaints with doing that once a month. I know lots of people at home who would gladly pay a lot more for the luxury of knowing that everything is fine -- especially in the early months before you can feel the baby moving regularly.

C-sections are more common here than in some countries, but not as common as they were. When I first came to Korea lots of women were told they would have post-natal sexual dysfunction if they had a vaginal birth, but people seem to be better educated now.

I have a question too -- does anyone know how most Korean doctors deal with medications (epidurals, gas, etc.) during a typical birth? Does the mother get to decide? Are epidurals common practice? And if so, what will happen if I say I don't want one? At this point I want to try going as natural and drug free as possible, but I'd like to have the right to change my mind and get at least a little relief if necessary (i.e. gas). Thanks!

[endofthewor1d]

good timing.
just a few hours ago, my wife told me she's pregnant. endofthewor1d is going to be a daddy!

[Homer]

[Scott in Incheon]

Something to remember is that you can claim your medical expenses on your income tax. You can actually get a nice return from the government.

Don't remember the costs of having our kids...natural birth for both...first without drugs...second with...wife said the second was much better....

Had ours at a private clinic in what they referred to as 'the family room'....which meant family could be in the room.

Didn't spend the week in the hospital afterwards...but follow most Korean traditions at home...though with the second...scrapped the you must always be freakin hot tradition...wife turned on the a/c. My wife had a talk with my mother who was a labour and delivery nurse for about 30years and decided she didn't have to bundle up so much for the second.

[casey's moon]

[Jasobang]

Both through c-section. Doc told us that the boys had big heads. I'm pretty sure that if we were back home it wouldn't have gone the same. As most Koreans do not argue much with doctors, God complex, I had little choice but to follow suit. Everything worked out very well which is ofcourse the main thing.

Each ran us about 8 to 900,000 with my wife staying for about 5 days later. After our second arrival, my wife chose the special care center for new moms. After about a week she had enough of the boredom and headed home. It did give her a chance to rest without having to deal with the new born and a two year old.

Monthly ultrasounds are awesome.

[periwinkle]

Hmmmm- you guys are finding prenatal care affordable. Every time I go to my doctor it's no less than 75,000 won. And Casey's Moon, you are paying 20,000 won for an ultrasound, whereas I'm paying 50,000 won? Well, that solidifies my choice to change doctors. I feel ripped off now. I wonder if it's because I was going to a private clinic... If I continue going to this doctor, I figure altogether it'll run me 2,000,000 won.

Congratulations, endoftheworld!