Hong Kong mothers seek cheaper post-natal care across border in Shenzhen

Hong Kong families are crossing the border to Shenzhen for medical and post-natal care, drawn by prices that can be nearly half those charged in the city and hotel-like facilities with round-the-clock professional support.

Lower prices, full-service recovery

Sarah Tam, a 30-year-old social worker who gave birth in mid-July, spent a month at a Shenzhen post-partum care centre where she paid HK$40,000 for a hotel-style room with a queen-sized bed, en suite bathroom, sofa, steriliser, bottle warmer and fridge. The package included six meals a day, daily essentials such as nappies and baby clothes, 24-hour newborn care and maternal wellness treatments including massages and facials.

In Hong Kong, round-the-clock confinement care can cost upwards of HK$70,000. New mothers in the city commonly hire a specialised post-partum carer, known locally as a pui yuet, to assist with baby care and recovery at home.

Peace of mind across the border

Tam said she felt completely at ease leaving her baby in the carers' hands, which allowed "mothers to truly focus on resting". She enjoyed eight hours of sleep a night and yoga sessions at the Shenzhen facility, where carers looked after her newborn around the clock.

The trend of Hongkongers heading north for medical care is leaving the city's private doctors under pressure, as lower costs and fast service in Guangdong province pull patients across the border.

Source: South China Morning Post