Which Hospital To Give Birth In Singapore?

When you find out you are pregnant, one of the biggest decisions you will grapple with is where to give birth in Singapore? You will find yourself wondering if you should go private or restructured (public sector hospital)?  How much does the whole thing cost? Which are the most popular hospitals for maternity and what makes them different?

To help your decision-making process of where to give birth in Singapore, we have created a detailed post reviewing each maternity hospital. We also provide you with a table at the end of this article which summarises our findings.

Good luck with your decision and do share your personal reviews of your hospital in the comment box below.

Where To Give Birth In Singapore?

Private or Public hospital?

In general, healthcare in Singapore, whether private or public sector hospitals is reliable, safe and typically high quality. We have one of the lowest infant mortality rate in the world —  likewise for maternal mortality rate.

Benefits of public sector hospital:

One of the biggest benefits of having a baby in a public hospital is that the medical care and attention is available at a much lower price than that on offer in private hospitals, especially if you are a Singaporean citizen. Budget and a safe place to give birth in Singapore.

Another benefit is the fact that you are right where you need to be in case something goes wrong. Some of the smaller private hospitals in Singapore are not equipped to deal with complicated deliveries and birth problems.

Why not go public sector?

On the flip side, however, wait times may be longer, visiting hours are stricter and the pampering facilities on offer for mum and baby may not be as comfortable as those available in private hospitals.

Also, if insurance is covering your medical bills, then price considerations matter less, so you might opt to go to a private hospital.

Whichever route you decide to go, here’s the lowdown on where you can give birth in Singapore.

Public sector hospitals

There are 3 public sector hospitals which offer maternity services in Singapore. We did not rank the hospitals as there is no one right metric that you can use to judge how good a hospital is for you. However, when choosing between the hospitals, do consider the following factors:

1. Price of delivery

In our analysis, we looked at the difference between the low*, middle* and high* bill size of a natural delivery in an A-class ward. These figures provide an estimate of the upper range of bill sizes.

*Note:

• low* bill size: One in four patients pay less than this amount
• middle* bill size: Half of all patients pay less than this amount
• high* bill size: Half of all patients pay more than this amount

2. Number of deliveries done in the last year
3. Number of C-section deliveries

The World Health Organization recommends that the C-section rate should not be higher than 10% to 15%. However, do keep in mind that the “need for caesarean section at each hospital can vary dramatically depending on the type of population served by the hospital.

For example, larger hospitals tend to receive referrals of most complicated pregnancies or deliveries which in turn, may need more caesarean sections.”

1. Singapore General Hospital (SGH)

Outram Road, Singapore 169608

Tel: (+65) 6222 3322

Website

Out of the three restructured maternity hospitals in Singapore, SGH sees the least amount of deliveries yearly, however, it is also the most cost-effective*. From the period of 1 Jul 2016 to 30 Jun 2017, SGH saw 1,481 deliveries, of which 69.8% were natural deliveries and 30.2% were C-section deliveries. The average length of stay for an A class ward was 2.7 days for a natural delivery and 3.8 days for a C-section.

Facilities at delivery room:

Newly renovated delivery suites featuring a wall encased with dry flora and fauna. Your spouse can request for a sleeper unit. Fits the bill to give birth in Singapore.

Confinement menu:

To book a guided tour:

Labour ward tours are held from Monday to Friday at 11.30am and 3pm and are included as part of antenatal classes at SGH. Do note that the tour is subjected to availability of beds on the day of the tour; no advanced booking is allowed. Call (65) 6326 5923 for more information.

Natural Delivery

Ward A: $3,740 (Low*) / $4,557 (Middle*) / $5,589 (High*)

Ward B1: $2,633 (Low*) / $3,205 (Middle*) / $4,021 (High*)

Ward B2: $1,174 (Low*) / $1,459 (Middle*) / $1,874 (High*)

Ward C: $1,054 (Low*) / $1,300 (Middle*) / $1,653 (High*)

C-Section

Ward A: $7,462 (Low*) / $8,330 (Middle*) / $9,393 (High*)

Ward B1: $6,319 (Low*) / $6,942 (Middle*) / $7,641 (High*)

Ward B2: $2,234 (Low*) / $2,466 (Middle*) / $3,000 (High*)

Ward C: $1,495 (Low*) / $1,767 (Middle*) / $2,269 (High*)

Real mum shares:

“I chose to deliver here because it is located near my house and the waiting time is not as bad as KKH. The OB I chose was great and accommodating to my birth plan. The nurses were also extremely caring. I am overall very happy with my choice. The hospital is definitely reliable and very supportive of breastfeeding and skin to skin contact. However, if you are looking for pampering and bells and whistles, then I don’t think that SGH is the right maternity hospital.”

2. KK Women and Children’s Hospital (KKH)

100 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 229899

Tel: +65 6225 5554

Website

KKH is such a popular choice among pregnant mums, that it had 10,279 babies born there last year, of which 26.9% were for C-section deliveries. That’s over 7 times more babies delivered than SGH and also makes KKH Singapore’s most popular maternity hospital. The average length of stay for an A class ward was 1.9 days for a natural delivery and 3.1 days for a C-section.

One of the reasons for its popularity is because it is known for high risk and complicated pregnancies referred from other hospitals locally and abroad. KKH is also the only dedicated women’s and children’s restructured hospital in Singapore. This means that the perinatal team is on 24-hour standby with facilities and capabilities for immediate emergency Caesarean Section delivery.

Facilities at delivery room:

28 private delivery rooms. Each room comes with a single bed, attached bathroom with shower facilities, couch-bed for accompanying spouse/parent at no extra cost, and a telephone to keep anxious family members updated on the baby’s arrival.

Class A1 single-bed wards offer air-conditioned rooms with attached bathroom, wardrobe, sofa bed and mini fridge, among other amenities. Being WHO Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative-certified, healthy newborns can ‘room-in’ with their parents for better bonding from birth, with nurses conducting ParentCraft classes at your bedside.

Virtual tour: https://www.kkh.com.sg/VirtualTour/Documents/virtual-tour.html?s=pano371

To book a guided tour:

Tours are held on the second and fourth Friday of every month, except public holidays. Call 6394 1268 or email pec@kkh.com.sg to make a booking.

Natural Delivery

Ward A: $4,336 (Low*) / $5,099 (Middle*) / $5,731 (High*)

Ward B1: $3,070 (Low*) / $3,702 (Middle*) / $4,207 (High*)

Ward B2+: $2,083 (Low*) / $2,599 (Middle*) / $3,123 (High*)

Ward B2: $1,575 (Low*) / $1,926 (Middle*) / $2,364 (High*)

Ward C: $1,005 (Low*) / $1,251 (Middle*) / $1,555 (High*)

C-Section

Ward A: $7,491 (Low*) / $8,777 (Middle*) / $9,894 (High*)

Ward B1: $6,356 (Low*) / $7,296 (Middle*) / $8,210 (High*)

Ward B2+: $4,078 (Low*) / $4,727 (Middle*) / $5,565 (High*)

Ward B2: $3,105 (Low*) / $3,717 (Middle*) / $4,091 (High*)

Ward C: $1,976 (Low*) / $2,320 (Middle*) / $2,712 (High*)

Real mum shares:

“I had a high risk pregnancy, so I decided to not risk it, and deliver at KKH. KKH is the best place to give birth if you baby might need NICU or have complications that will need blood transfusions for example. The only down side of KKH is the long waiting times.”

3. National University Hospital (NUH)

5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore, 119074

Tel:

(65) 6779 5555 (Main Line 24-hour)

(65) 6772 5000 (Emergency 24-hour)

(65) 6772 2555 (Children’s Emergency 24-hour)

Website

In the last year between 1 Jul 2016 to 30 Jun 2017, NUH has delivered 3,960 babies, of which 73.6% were natural deliveries while 26.4% were for C-sections. This makes it the lowest rate for C-section in a restructured hospital. The average length of stay in an A class ward for natural delivery is 2.5 days and C-section is 3.4 days.

NUH is also the first hospital in Singapore to have a water birth suite and to have support groups for mental health and breastfeeding. NUH also has a dedicated Fetal Care Centre which provides screening, diagnosis, counselling and management of foetal abnormalities during pregnancy.

In addition, NUH is one of the few hospitals in Asia that offer STAN analysis in their delivery suite. STAN is a unique foetal monitor that combines changes in the foetal ECG (foetal heart tracing) and the conventional CTG (the standardised heart monitors in most units); it helps to accurately detect foetuses that lack oxygen and identify babies that require immediate delivery. In addition, STAN also provides reassurance when no intervention is required.

Facilities at delivery room:

8 delivery suite rooms (1 deluxe delivery suite with Water Birth Facilities). Each room comes with a single bed, attractively decorated in pastel shades, attached bathroom with shower facilities, a comfortable reclining sofa for accompanying spouse/parent, a television and a telephone to keep anxious family members updated on the baby’s arrival. Patients can also opt for aromatherapy soothing at NUH. Perfect reason to select this hospital to give birth in Singapore.

To book a guided tour:

Tours are conducted on every Monday at 2pm to the Women’s Clinic, Delivery Suite and postnatal wards. Each tour is limited to 10 couples, so do register beforehand either with the clinic staff or contact the NUH Women’s Clinic at 6772 2255 / 2277.

Natural Delivery

Ward A: $4,071 (Low*) / $4,694 (Middle*) / $5,368 (High*)

Ward B1: $2,803 (Low*) / $3,209 (Middle*) / $3,776 (High*)

Ward B2: $948    (Low*) / $1,110 (Middle*) / $1,324 (High*)

Ward C: $706    (Low*) / $840 (Middle*) / $1,004 (High*)

C-Section

Ward A: $6,653 (Low*) / $7,314 (Middle*) / $8,261 (High*)

Ward B1: $4,845 (Low*) / $5,237 (Middle*) / $5,842 (High*)

Ward B2: $1,361 (Low*) / $1,579 (Middle*) / $1,860 (High*)

Ward C: $959 (Low*) / $1,115 (Middle*) / $1,307 (High*)

Real mum shares:

“I knew I was going to deliver at NUH as I wanted to have a water birth. The whole experience was nothing short of amazing and I highly recommend NUH as a choice maternity hospital. Nurses were amazing when it came to taking care of my needs and breastfeeding. They were also very supportive with regards to skin to skin contact and kangaroo care. Another great thing about NUH is the fact that parents can access the NICU 24 hours a day. Not all hospitals allow that, so if you are having a high risk pregnancy, do consider that factor.”

To Summarise:

*Notes

Total Deliveries*: Number of cases for the period 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017 across all wards

Low*: One in four patients pay less than this amount for A class ward

Middle*: Half of all patients pay less than this amount for A class ward

High*: One in four patients pay more than this amount for A class ward

Private hospitals

1. Parkway East (PEH) – Formerly East Shore Hospital

321 Joo Chiat Pl, 427990

Tel:

Main line: (65) 6344 7588 

A&E line: (65) 6340 8666 

Appointment and medical enquiry: (65) 6377 3737 

WhatsApp appointment: (65) 8111 3777 

Website

Parkway East delivered 1,861 babies in the last year between 1 Jul 2016 to 30 Jun 2017, with an average C-section rate of 26.7%. The average length of stay is 2.1 days for a natural delivery and 3.1 days for a C-section delivery in a private 1 bedded room.

The hospital was started in the 1930s as the Paglar Maternity and Nursing Home, having been founded by Dr Paglar, a Eurasian general practitioner. Recently renovated to have a resort-like feel, coupled with the warmth care provided by staff, it is no wonder that Parkway East is tops among the people living in the East part of the island. Another good option to give birth in Singapore.

Facilities at delivery room:

1 Delivery Suite with 5 delivery rooms and a 2-bed first stage room

Virtual tour:

https://www.parkwayeast.com.sg/virtualtour/peh/home/single-room.html

To book a guided tour:

Tours are available from Monday to Friday at 2.30 pm and Saturday at 10.00 am. Register online here.

Natural Delivery

Private Hospital (1 Bedded): $6,104 (Low*) / $7,007 (Middle*) / $7,713 (High*)

Private Hospital (2 Bedded):  $4,603 (Low*) / $5,288 (Middle*) / $5,997 (High*)

Private Hospital (4 Bedded): $4,246 (Low*) / $4,739 (Middle*) / $5,450 (High*)

C-Section

Private Hospital (1 Bedded): $10,689 (Low*) / $11,413 (Middle*) / $12,706 (High*)

Private Hospital (2 Bedded):  $8,919 (Low*) / $9,863 (Middle*) / $10,824 (High*)

Private Hospital (4 Bedded):  $8,479 (Low*) / $9,273 (Middle*) / $10,378 (High*)

Real mum shares:

“I live in East Coast and it seemed that I had a low-risk pregnancy, so I decided to go with Parkway East as it was as affordable as a public hospital, but I get the perks of being in a private hospital. The doctors were good and nurses were supportive. Registration was a breeze.”

2. Thomson Medical Centre (TMC)

339 Thomson Rd, Singapore 307677.

Tel: (+65) 6250 2222

Website

In the last one year, Thomson Medical Centre (TMC) delivered 5,090 babies, of which 40.3% were by C-section. This makes it the top choice private hospital for mums-to-be and second choice if we include all the public hospitals. The average length of stay for natural delivery is 2.3 days at Thomson and 3 days for C-section. Thomson is also the only hospital in Singapore that offers home birth service. For those who would like to give birth in Singapore at home!

Facilities at delivery room:

TMC has a beautifully decorated delivery room. Delivery suits are specially designed to create a home-away-from-home for the patients. Warmly lit and comfortable, the delivery suite is well-equipped, so you can welcome your baby in a safe and stress-free environment. There is a labour pool available.

Virtual tour:

https://www.thomsonmedical.com/virtualtour/index.html

To book a guided tour:

Tours are available from Mondays to Fridays at 11:00am and 2.30pm, and Saturdays at 10.00am, 11:00am and 12:00nn. No tour will be conducted on Sundays and Public Holidays.  Each session is limited to maximum 8 couples and pre-registration for the tour is required.

You may register online or at the Information Counter, or call 6358 0055 / 6350 8876.

Visit and then decide before you give birth in Singapore.

Natural Delivery

Private Hospital (1 Bedded):  $6,048 (Low*) / $7,055 (Middle*) / $8,004 (High*)

Private Hospital (2 Bedded):  $4,772 (Low*) / $5,637 (Middle*) / $6,573 (High*)

Private Hospital (4 Bedded):  $4,245 (Low*) / $5,102 (Middle*) / $6,016 (High*)

C-Section

Private Hospital (1 Bedded):  $9,024 (Low*) / $10,260 (Middle*) / $11,883 (High*)

Private Hospital (2 Bedded): $7,612 (Low*) / $8,777  (Middle*) / $9,966 (High*)

Private Hospital (4 Bedded):  $6,770 (Low*) / $7,760 (Middle*) / $9,055 (High*)

Real mum shares:

“The nurses are helpful, the food delicious and the rooms clean. Also my son had to stay in the NICU there for 3 weeks and the nurses in the NICU were angels! My only complaint was that the lactation consultant was not as great and you don’t get the bells and whistles of some of the other private hospitals.”

3. Mount Alvernia Hospital (MAH)

820 Thomson Road, Singapore 574623

Tel: (+65) 6347 6688 (24-hour hotline)

Website

Mount Alvernia saw 5,427 deliveries in the last one year, with a C-section rate of 38.1%. The average length of stay for natural delivery is 2.4 days and C-section is 3.2 days at Mount Alvernia.

Facilities at delivery room:

This private hospital not only has spacious and comfortable rooms but also comes equipped with a labour pool. The breastfeeding supportive atmosphere is still a favourite with many. This might be one of the reason for you to choose this hospital to give birth in Singapore.

Virtual tour:

https://www.mtalvernia-hospital.org/virtual-tour/

To book a guided tour:

Various times (Mondays to Saturdays). Limited to 2 Participants only.

Register online here or call 6347 6788 for any enquiries or clarifications.

Natural Delivery

Private Hospital (1 Bedded):  $6,822 (Low*) / $7,957 (Middle*) / $9,088 (High*)

Private Hospital (2 Bedded): $5,319 (Low*) / $6,143 (Middle*) / $7,188 (High*)

C-Section

Private Hospital (1 Bedded): $10,113 (Low*) / $11,241 (Middle*) / $12,426 (High*)

Private Hospital (2 Bedded):  $8,176 (Low*) / $9,201 (Middle*) / $10,412 (High*)

Real mum shares:

“I heard that Mount Alvernia was extremely breastfeeding and natural birth-friendly. I had a good experience overall, but the rules are very strict with regards to visiting hours and who can accompany you in the labour room.”

4. Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital (MNH)

38 Irrawaddy Road, Singapore 329563

Tel:

Main line: (65) 6933 0000 

24-hour A&E line: (65) 6933 0100 

Appointment and medical enquiry: (65) 6898 6898 

WhatsApp appointment: (65) 8111 5777 

Email: mnpac@parkwaypantai.com

Website

Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital saw 1,490 deliveries in the last one year, with a c-section rate of 40.9%. The average length of stay for natural delivery is 2.5 days and 3.4 days for C-section.

Virtual tour:

https://www.mountelizabeth.com.sg/virtualtour/meh/novena/index.html

To book a guided tour:

Tuesdays to Fridays at 3pm. 9.15am, 10.30am & 12noon on Saturdays. Contact +65 6933 0191 to make a booking for a guided maternity tour.

Natural Delivery

Private Hospital (1 Bedded): $7,987 (Low*) / $9,084 (Middle*) / $10,137 (High*)

C-Section

Private Hospital (1 Bedded):  $12,424 (Low*) / $13,646 (Middle*) / $15,750 (High*)

Real mum shares:

“Mount Elizabeth Novena catered to our every request. It was like staying in a five-star hotel.”

5. Raffles Hospital (RH)

585 North Bridge Road, Singapore 188770

Tel: (+65) 6311 1111

Email: enquiries@raffleshospital.com

Website

Raffles Hospital in Singapore saw 552 deliveries in the last year with 27.2% C-section rate. The average length of stay for natural delivery is 2.2 days and 3.3 days for C-section. Full water birth facilities are also provided at Raffles Hospital.

Virtual tour:

https://www.rafflesmedicalgroup.com/hospital/patients-visitors/visitors/virtual-tours

To book a guided tour:

Guided tours are conducted three times a week: every Monday at 4pm, Wednesday at 11.30am and Saturdays at 2.30pm. Register at the Business Office at Level 8 about 5 minutes before any of these times. Have a look and then decide if you want to select this hospital to give birth in Singapore.

Natural Delivery

Private Hospital (1 Bedded):  $7,397 (Low*) / $8,539 (Middle*) / $9,593 (High*)

C-Section

Private Hospital (1 Bedded):  $11,841 (Low*) / $12,602 (Middle*) / $16,248 (High*)

Real mum shares:

“Hospital itself was lovely, clean and comfortable. Service, food and nurses are great, they respected my wishes for immediate skin to skin, no interventions and room-in. The lactation consultant was brilliant.”

6. Gleneagles Hospital (GEH)

6A Napier Road, Singapore, 258500

Tel:

Hospital mainline: (65) 6473 7222 

A&E: (65) 6470 5688 / (65) 6470 5700 

Appointment and medical enquiry: (65) 6575 7575 

Email: gpac@parkwaypantai.com

Website

Gleneagles in Singapore saw 1,841 deliveries in the last year with a 40.6% c-section rate. The average length of stay for natural delivery is 2.5 days and 3.5 days for C-section.

The hospital has ten delivery suites, first stage room with four beds. Each delivery suite has a TV, radio, telephone and recliner chair for the accompanying husband. Best set-up to give birth in Singapore.

Virtual tour:

https://www.gleneagles.com.sg/virtualtour/GEH/Tour/gleneagles_suite.html

To book a guided tour:

Maternity tours are conducted from Mondays to Fridays at 1pm, and Saturdays at 11am and 1pm. Tours will not be conducted on Sunday and Public Holidays. Advance booking for tours is required. For enquiries and reservation, please call 6470 5615.

Natural Delivery

Private Hospital (1 Bedded):  $8,558 (Low*) / $9,775 (Middle*) / $11,267 (High*)

Private Hospital (2 Bedded): $6,522 (Low*) / $7,289 (Middle*) / $8,392 (High*)

C-Section

Private Hospital (1 Bedded): $13,063 (Low*) / $14,941 (Middle*) / $17,125 (High*)

Private Hospital (2 Bedded):  $10,591 (Low*) / $12,139 (Middle*) / $14,416 (High*)

Real mum shares:

“I had a great experience at Gleneagles. This hospital works well with doulas and the nurses are helpful and respond quickly to calls.”

7. Mount Elizabeth Hospital (MEH)

3 Mount Elizabeth, Singapore 228510

Tel:

Main line: (65) 6737 2666 

24-hour A&E line: (65) 6731 2218 

Appointment and medical enquiry: (65) 6250 0000 

WhatsApp appointment: (65) 8111 7777 

Email: mpac@parkwaypantai.com

Website

Mount Elizabeth saw 1,630 deliveries in the last year of which 36.8% were through c-section. The average length of stay for natural delivery is 2.5 days and 3.3 for c-section.

Facilities:

Spacious, luxurious, comfortable and located right next to a shopping mall – you don’t get better in Singapore. With that being said, this private hospital is also the most expensive hospital to give birth in Singapore.

Virtual tour:

https://www.mountelizabeth.com.sg/virtualtour/meh/orchard/single-room.html

To book a guided tour:

Conducted from Mondays to Fridays at 4pm and 11am on Saturdays. Call 6731 2000 to register for a guided maternity tour.

Natural Delivery

Private Hospital (1 Bedded):  $8,223 (Low*) / $9,401 (Middle*) / $10,438 (High*)

Private Hospital (2 Bedded):  $6,342 (Low*) / $6,844 (Middle*) / $7,936 (High*)

C-Section

Private Hospital (1 Bedded): $12,189 (Low*) / $14,487 (Middle*) / $16,314 (High*)

Private Hospital (2 Bedded):  $9,155 (Low*) / $10,259 (Middle*) / $12,585 (High*)

Real mum shares:

“This was simply luxurious way to give birth. We were given a parking space for one vehicle from date of baby’s birth, welcome longan or ginger tea, and a mother and baby gift set. From check-in to checkout the process was very easy.”

Summary table

*Notes

Total Deliveries*: Number of cases for the period 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017 across all wards

Low*: One in four patients pay less than this amount

Middle*: Half of all patients pay less than this amount

High*: One in four patients pay more than this amount

* Bills size are provided from provided from the Ministry of Health. Prices are based on the single ward, normal delivery charges for low, middle and high bill size. Prices are indicative of the time of publishing (Oct 2017). All rates are subjected to revision without notice. Charges are not inclusive of 7% GST unless stated otherwise.

This list pretty much summarises the top hospitals that help you decide where to give birth in Singapore. We wish you love and luck! 

*This list was last updated on 21 August 2018.