Choosing a maternity hospital is one of the most important decisions of the final months of pregnancy. It affects not only your experience of “getting through labour”, but also the hospital's ability to monitor, provide emergency care for and look after mother and baby if anything unexpected arises.
With so many hospitals, birth packages and price levels to choose from, which criteria should you use when deciding where to give birth?
Below are 7 practical tips for choosing a maternity hospital that you can look through before making your decision.
1. Distance and how easily you can travel once labour starts
🏥 A hospital close to home is usually more convenient once the first signs of labour appear, particularly in cases of:
- Waters breaking
- Vaginal bleeding
- Regular contractions that build in intensity
- Unusual fetal movements
- Any sign that needs urgent assessment
Rather than setting a fixed rule such as “the hospital must be 15–30 minutes from home”, it is better to test the route from home to the hospital at several different times of day, especially during rush hour.
If the hospital you want to give birth in is relatively far away, prepare the following as well:
✔️ An alternative route for heavy traffic
✔️ Transport available 24/7
✔️ The hospital's emergency telephone number
✔️ A nearby obstetric facility as a back-up option
In a high-risk pregnancy in particular, distance is not the only criterion. The clinical expertise of the facility and its ability to manage complications should come first.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), pregnant women should be cared for at a facility whose level of care matches the risk to mother and newborn.
2. The reputation and expertise of the obstetric and paediatric team
👩⚕️ A hospital with a beautiful delivery room is not necessarily the most suitable choice if your pregnancy needs special monitoring.
Before booking your birth, it is worth finding out about:
- The hospital's team of obstetricians
- Whether a paediatrician or neonatologist is on duty during the birth
- Its ability to monitor high-risk pregnancies
- Its ability to manage difficult births and obstetric emergencies
- Its ability to carry out vaginal birth, caesarean section and pain relief during labour
- The process for calling a multidisciplinary consultation if something abnormal occurs
🚩 This matters even more if you have:
- Pre-eclampsia or pregnancy-induced hypertension
- Gestational diabetes
- Placenta praevia or a suspected placental abnormality
- Twins or a multiple pregnancy
- A risk of preterm birth
- A previous caesarean section
- Cardiovascular disease or an underlying condition
- A fetal abnormality that requires specialist monitoring
ACOG recommends that high-risk pregnancies be assessed in order to choose a facility with suitable staffing and resources, rather than choosing on the basis of comfort alone.
3. Facilities and the capacity to resuscitate mother and baby
Many mothers touring a hospital focus mainly on the delivery room and the inpatient room.
But there is a more important question:
If an emergency arises for mother or baby after the birth, can the hospital deal with it on site or will a transfer be needed?
Ask the hospital about:
✔️ Its operating theatre and obstetric emergency system
✔️ Its ability to monitor the mother after birth
✔️ Its team of paediatricians and neonatologists
✔️ A newborn care or neonatal intensive care unit
✔️ Its ability to care for premature babies
✔️ Its referral process if a case goes beyond its clinical capability
If there is a risk of preterm birth or your baby may need special care after delivery, you may want to give priority to hospitals with a NICU – a neonatal intensive care unit.
That said, not every normal pregnancy requires a hospital with the highest level of NICU. What matters is that the hospital's capability matches the expected risk for mother and baby.
4. The cost of giving birth and the extras that can crop up
💰 The cost of giving birth can differ considerably from hospital to hospital depending on:
- Vaginal birth or caesarean section
- A first caesarean section or a previous scar
- The type of inpatient room
- A requested doctor or the doctor on duty
- Epidural anaesthesia
- Medicines and medical supplies
- Any additional tests
- Special care or treatment for the baby
- Newborn screening
- The number of days in hospital
So when comparing all-inclusive birth packages, do not look only at the final figure.
Before you pay, ask clearly:
📌 Does the price already include the doctor's fee?
📌 Are medicines and medical supplies part of the package?
📌 How are charges calculated if a vaginal birth becomes a caesarean section?
📌 What are the costs if mother or baby has to stay in hospital longer?
📌 Which inpatient room is included in the package?
📌 Can BHYT (state health insurance) or private insurance be used?
📌 Which services are charged separately?
A lower headline price does not necessarily mean a lower final total cost.
5. Postnatal care services for mother and baby
🌿 Birth does not end the moment the baby arrives.
The first 24–72 hours after birth are when a mother needs the most monitoring and support, especially with a first baby.
When choosing a hospital, look into the quality of its postnatal care, such as:
For the mother
- Postnatal health monitoring
- Care of the caesarean wound or the perineum
- Pain control
- Support with moving about after birth
- Guidance on hygiene and body care
- Nutrition advice
For the baby
- Newborn examination and monitoring
- Monitoring for jaundice
- Guidance on umbilical cord care
- Bathing the baby
- Newborn screening
- Breastfeeding support
In particular, if you want to breastfeed, ask whether the hospital has staff who can help with feeding positions, latching and any difficulties during the first feeds or not.
WHO recommends that mothers be supported to start breastfeeding as soon as possible after birth and be given practical guidance to establish breastfeeding.
6. Policies on skin-to-skin contact, early feeding and having a relative present
👶 This is a criterion many mothers only learn about when the due date is close.
Before signing up for a package, you can ask directly:
- Will the baby have skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth?
- Is skin-to-skin contact offered during a caesarean section?
- Will the baby be breastfed early?
- Can mother and baby stay in the same room?
- Can a relative come into the delivery room?
- Can your husband stay with you throughout labour?
WHO recommends early and continuous skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby after birth, together with support for the baby to start breastfeeding within the first hour after birth when the health of mother and baby allows.
Even so, bear in mind that skin-to-skin contact or having a family member in the delivery room also depends on the medical condition of mother and baby and each hospital's own rules.
So if this matters a great deal to you, confirm it before booking your birth rather than assuming every hospital does the same.
7. Reviews from mothers who have given birth – useful, but not the only criterion
📱 Pregnancy groups, Facebook, TikTok and parenting forums can tell you plenty of details that a hospital's service brochure leaves out.
For example:
- Are staff quick to help?
- Do admission formalities take long?
- What is the inpatient room actually like?
- Do the nurses help with feeding the baby?
- Is it easy for family to stay overnight?
- Did the final cost differ much from the original quote?
That said, a review is one person's experience, not data on clinical quality.
A mother with a normal pregnancy may have a completely different experience from one with a high-risk pregnancy or an emergency caesarean section.
👉 So use reviews to judge the service experience, but for matters such as doctors' expertise, neonatal resuscitation or the ability to manage complications, check with the hospital's official sources and speak to a doctor directly.
A quick checklist before choosing a maternity hospital
Before you “settle” on where to give birth, try answering these 10 questions:
✅ How long does it take from home to the hospital at rush hour?
✅ Is the hospital suitable for my pregnancy?
✅ Are obstetricians and paediatric or neonatal doctors available when needed?
✅ Where would the baby be treated if resuscitation or special care were needed?
✅ What does the package price include?
✅ Which extra costs could arise?
✅ How do BHYT or private insurance apply?
✅ Is skin-to-skin contact and early breastfeeding supported?
✅ Can a relative stay with me or come into the delivery room?
✅ If a vaginal birth has to become a caesarean section, what is the process and the cost?
If you cannot answer at least a few of these, go back to the hospital with your questions before paying a deposit.
Some hospitals with maternity services you may want to consider
Depending on where you live, your budget and your pregnancy, you may want to look at some of the facilities currently offering maternity services and birth packages.
Ho Chi Minh City
🏥 Phuong Nam Hospital
🏥 City International Hospital – CIH
🏥 Saigon International Maternity Hospital – SIH
🏥 Hanh Phuc International Hospital
Hanoi
🏥 Hong Ngoc General Hospital
🏥 Thu Cuc TCI Healthcare System
Which maternity hospital should you choose?
There is no maternity hospital that is “best for everyone”.
A place that suits one mother will not necessarily suit another.
👉 If your pregnancy is normal, you can balance:
Distance – doctors – services – experience – budget.
👉 If your pregnancy is high risk, give priority to:
Clinical expertise – obstetric emergency care – paediatrics/neonatology – the capacity to resuscitate and manage complications, and only then consider comfort.
And one thing many mothers overlook: do not compare birth package prices alone. Compare what the package actually includes.
A package that is a few million dong cheaper but excludes the doctor, supplies, pain relief, the room or newborn care can leave the actual cost after birth quite different from what you first budgeted for.
Find and compare birth packages more easily with Halza
📱 Instead of contacting each place yourself for information, you can browse hospitals, clinics and maternity services on Halza and choose the option that fits your needs.
With Halza, you can:
✔️ Search for suitable hospitals and healthcare facilities
✔️ Browse antenatal check-up and birth packages
✔️ Book appointments easily
✔️ Store antenatal check-up results and electronic health records
✔️ Track health information for mother and baby on a single platform
The right choice is not necessarily the most expensive or the most famous – it is the place able to meet exactly what mother and baby need on the most important day of the pregnancy.
References
📚 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) – Levels of Maternal Care
📚 World Health Organization (WHO) – Early Essential Newborn Care
📚 World Health Organization (WHO) – Breastfeeding Support & Early Initiation of Breastfeeding
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