Choosing your maternity hospital

Soon after your pregnancy is confirmed, you will need to start planning where to go for your delivery.

After all, the hospital you choose will also probably point you to your doctor. Many mums choose the hospital first and then find an obstetrician or gynaecologist that practices at their chosen hospital.

Others start with choosing a gynaecologist. Since most gynaecologists are obstetricians (also called ob-gyn), they are usually affiliated to a maternity hospital. Often, ob-gyns are affiliated to several hospitals so you have a choice of where to go for your baby's birth.

Whether you start by finding a hospital for your delivery, or an obstetrician you like, there are some important conditions to consider while deciding where to go for your delivery.

How good is the maternity hospital?

One of your first concerns will probably be to find a good hospital where you and your baby will be well looked after. Judging a hospital you have never been to before might seem difficult but there are a number of things you can consider.


You can start by finding out what kind of a reputation the hospital has. Hospitals attract patients by the expertise of their doctors, the expertise of their support staff, the quality of their services, and the variety of facilities they offer. Getting feedback on these points will help you make an informed decision.

To find out about the reputation of a hospital, you can start by looking at its official website. The website will give you a good idea of the background, the financial backing, the medical staff and the facilities offered. Sometimes, the website will even display newspaper clippings or other client feedback on the hospital. A general internet search might also reveal hospital rankings in medical websites or journals or client reviews.

Feedback from other mothers

Another excellent way to judge a hospital is to talk to mothers from among your friends, family or colleagues who have already given birth there. Their level of comfort and satisfaction with the place, staff and service might give you an idea of what to expect. Many parents also share their delivery experiences online.

Reading a few birth stories from parents whose babies were born at the hospital you are considering can also give you an idea of what to expect. You may want to get feedback from mums or mums-to-be living in your city from our community forums as well.

Hospital tour

Although hearing and reading about the hospital might be helpful, it is best to schedule a visit so you can see for yourself what the maternity unit is like. Take a tour of the neonatal intensive care unit, the labour and delivery rooms and the room in which you will spend the few days after giving birth.

When you visit the hospital, a good way to clear any doubts you may have is by asking the nurse who takes you around about the service and facilities. Prepare a list of questions to ask her so that you don't forget anything.

Some useful questions to ask include:
  • How many nurses are on call 24 hours a day?
  • Will there be a doctor on call at all times?
  • Is there any advance booking required for the rooms or delivery?
  • What are the admission procedures?
  • Do you need to get medical supplies from outside chemists or does the hospital supply everything a patient needs?
  • How often are the rooms and bathrooms cleaned?
  • Does the hospital allow birth partners? Can your husband be a birth partner? (Some hospitals don't allow men inside the labour room.)
  • How many birth attendants are allowed and how long can they stay with you?
  • Is there an anaesthesiologist or anaesthetist at the hospital available at all times?
  • Will there be a paediatrician in the delivery room to attend to your baby?
  • Can your baby stay with you in your room?
  • Will the hospital supply what you need for your baby after the birth or should you bring supplies from home? If you'll need to bring supplies, what are the items to be brought?
  • Does the hospital supply food or will you need to bring food from home?
  • Can your husband or any other family member stay with you through the night after the birth?
  • What is the hospital's visiting policy?
  • What kind of follow-up care is available after you are released from the hospital?

Quality of the medical staff

A hospital can only be really good if it has good medical staff. You can try and find information about the doctors online. You can also ask friends and family who have delivered at the hospital about their experience with the doctors and nurses.

While you take a tour of the hospital, observe and talk to the medical staff such as the obstetrician, nurses, and paediatrician. Your interaction with them will help gauge your confidence and comfort level with the hospital staff.

Is the maternity hospital within your budget?

A good maternity hospital isn't necessarily the most expensive one in town. Before you decide on your budget though, make sure you fully understand your health insurance scheme. Insurance companies usually have a limit of how much they are ready to cover. This limit might change depending on the size of the hospital.

Some insurance companies only cover deliveries at specific hospitals. In that case, ask your insurance company to send you a list of their approved hospitals and make your choice from that list.

Once you know how much and what your insurance company will cover, you can compare the prices of the different hospitals you are considering. Often the hospital will give you a detailed price list when you take a tour. This includes:
  • admission or registration fee
  • the prices of the rooms, which will vary if you choose a sharing room or a single room and depending on the delivery you have (vaginal vs. caesarean)
  • the delivery charges, which will vary if you have a vaginal delivery or a caesarean
  • the obstetrician's fee, which will also be different depending on whether you have a vaginal delivery or a caesarean. (Note that if an obstetrician is affiliated to several hospitals, she might not have the same delivery fee at all of them)
  • the paediatrician's fee

This list will usually not include:
  • the cost of any medicines that you might need during or after the birth
  • the cost of the pain relief option you might use
  • the fee of an anaesthetist if one is needed
  • the cost of a night in the neonatal intensive care unit, if your baby requires it
  • the dietitian's fee if you consult one
  • post-delivery consultation fee for each specialist, every time they visit you or your baby
  • any extra service you choose
  • the service tax component

While comparing hospital prices, you might want to decide on a few factors that are more important to you than others. For example, you may consider the quality of the medical staff to be more important than the luxury of the hospital room. So if you have chosen your doctor but find the hospital she usually practices at to be beyond your budget, ask her if she practices at another hospital that might be within your reach.

The birth of your baby doesn't have to burn a hole in your pocket. Try not to take a loan just to be able to deliver at a famous or a very expensive hospital. No matter where your baby is born, you will be happy to hold him in your arms. Also, the presence of your husband and of a doctor you trust is more likely to ensure a pleasant birth experience than the softness of the mattress in the labour room.

After comparing prices and settling on a hospital you are happy with, remember that deliveries are unpredictable. Set aside some money in the event of an emergency, especially in the case of a high-risk pregnancy.

What are the facilities available at the hospital?

Most maternity hospitals will give a detailed description online or in a pamphlet about the facilities they provide. It is up to you to decide which facilities you feel are more important than others.

To help you decide which facilities are important from a health and safety perspective, see our article on the five essential facilities your hospital or nursing home should have.

How far is the maternity hospital from home?

The closer the hospital is to your home, the more convenient it will be for you the day you need to go in for the birth of your baby. Especially if yours is a high risk pregnancy or if you've had premature deliveries in the past, a hospital close to home is important.

After you have located the maternity hospitals in your vicinity, you may also want to consider a route that has less traffic and good roads. The last thing you'll want to experience while in labour is a bumpy and long drive.

Your delivery experience will be greatly influenced by the hospital you deliver in and how happy you are with the facilities and service they provide. Take your time to choose one you feel meets your requirements and expectations. Keep in mind though that no one can tell exactly how a delivery will go. So after carefully choosing a hospital and doing your best to be prepared, try to relax and keep in mind that things might happen a little differently to what you had imagined.

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