If you are having a baby or are planning on welcoming one into the world, it’s important to keep in mind the financial aspects of pregnancy and childbirth. While it’s a blessing to have a child, your finances could easily be adversely affected if you are ill-prepared.

Here is an overview of how much you can expect to spend when it comes to having a baby in Malaysia.

1. Doctor’s appointments

A full-term pregnancy takes 37 to 42 weeks and is broadly divided into thee stages: the first trimester (1st-12th weeks), second trimester (13th-27th weeks) and the third trimester (28th-40th weeks).

The expectant mother is advised to visit the gynaecologist/obstetrician once a month in the 1st to 24th weeks; once every two weeks from the 24th to 36th week; and once every week until the 40th (or 42nd) week.

The cost of a doctor’s appointment will differ according to whether go for the public or private option.

Your nearest Klinik Kesihatan (public/government) is free of charge, but the downside is that these clinics tend to be very busy. Each visit will possibly require up to four hours, including taking your queue number.

You can expect speedier service at a private maternity clinic, with your appointments scheduled in advance to reduce wait times. A doctor’s appointment can set you back about RM200; so, if you see the doctor about 16 times (until week 40), this would add up to a total of RM3,200.

2. Pregnancy scans

These are important for you and your doctor to keep tabs on the overall health and development of your baby.

If you go for the government option, scans are free – but do note that Klinik Kesihatan usually offer 2-3 scans for the whole term of your pregnancy, which might not be enough.

You can do as many scans as you require by opting for a private healthcare provider. Here are the recommendations of one maternity clinic:

• dating scan (8th-12th weeks): RM28-RM53 (2D growth scan)
• first trimester scan (11th-13th weeks): RM80-RM120 (NT scan)
• anomaly scan (20th-24th weeks): RM88-RM168 (anatomy scan)
• 4D/5D scan (25th week onwards): RM58-RM118
• third trimester scan (32nd-36th weeks): RM28-RM53 (2D growth scan)

3. Supplements and medication

Expectant mums need additional nutrition and will often be directed to take certain supplements and possibly medication. But given that every pregnant woman’s body and health are different, it is hard to estimate the amount of medication needed.

An expectant mum will need iron, calcium and folic acid daily to ensure normal foetal development. In general, iron and folic acid tablets cost RM1.14 each, while calcium tablets cost 85 sen per tablet.

The dosage and frequency of taking these supplements and other medicines will be entirely dependent on your doctor.

4. Maternity necessities

There are items that mums-to-be should consider getting before the baby arrives:

• Clothing: Prices of maternity clothes and underclothing start from RM10 per piece. A set of seven pieces, one for each day, is a good starting number. Bear in mind that clothing worn in early pregnancy will likely be too tight in the later stages.
• Pregnancy pillow: Prices range from RM20 to RM80 per pillow, which helps pregnant women sleep comfortably on their side.
• Supportive shoes: Prices start from as low as RM8 to RM40 per pair. She will need these shoes to walk around comfortably as feet tend to swell during pregnancy, and to prevent back pain.
• Compression socks: from RM5 to RM25 per pair. This is needed to deal with swelling in the legs on in pregnancy.

Note that postnatal items like breast pumps, milk bottles and sterilisers are not included here.

In total, the price of maternity garments could range from RM43 to RM180 or more, depending on the brand.

5. Hospital / birthing expenses

With a government hospital, hospital and birthing costs tend to be minimal: a normal delivery could cost less than RM100, but should there be complications, it could cost up to RM2,000. A caesarean delivery would cost from RM100 to RM800.

Bed charges are also minimal at about RM3 per night (third-class and without air-conditioning) to about RM90 per night (first-class and single room). Keep in mind that government hospitals will only admit you when you are really close to delivery, provided there are no emergencies.

With the private option, be prepared to pay RM3,000 to RM6,500 for a normal delivery and RM8,300 to RM14,300 for a C-section. Costs will also be higher if there are complications.

Meanwhile, private bed charges range from RM50 to RM100 per night (4-bedded option) or RM200 to RM300 per night (2-bedded option)

Overall, delivery could cost RM100 with the government option, or RM7,000 (private normal delivery) to RM10,000 (private caesarean).

6. Postnatal care

Postnatal care is crucial to ensure Mum’s proper recovery. There are several options:

• Confinement centres: Dedicated postnatal-care centres offer five meals a day, round-the-clock care for your baby, and classes you can take to learn about looking after your baby.
• Confinement lady: This involves a dedicated nanny who cooks for you and cares for your baby. They might stay with you temporarily or come in for a full day.
• ‘Do-it-yourself’: This is when new mums are cared for by their own family members or relatives.

A one-month stay at a confinement centre is estimated to cost between RM5,400 and a whopping RM52,000, depending on the specific services required.

Meanwhile, a confinement lady is estimated to cost about RM5,000 monthly. You will need to book their services early, and will need to factor in ingredients for meals.

While the “DIY” option suggests it will be free, do remember to give your parents or family members funds to buy food, and consider offering them a gift in cash or kind for their efforts.

All in all, the total cost for postnatal care could be “free” to RM52,000.

The bottom line

Taking everything into account, you would have to invest anywhere from RM100 (for the cheapest government options and DIY confinement) to RM70,000 for the most expensive private options, from the start to the end of pregnancy.

Of course, all of the above are just estimates, and there are other factors and costs that could increase expenses. Nevertheless, this should provide a ballpark figure for you to start planning financially should you wish to expand your family.

This article was written by Su-Wei Ho for MyPF. To simplify and grow your personal finances, follow MyPF on Facebook and Instagram.

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