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Malaysia’s public healthcare offers heavily subsidized prenatal and postnatal care, but expats will not qualify for public coverage. Malaysia’s private sector offers quality care for expectant mothers and newborns and is accessible through local private plans or international health insurance.
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Are you an expat living in Malaysia who is planning on expanding your family soon? Are you wondering how best to cover your health while pregnant and postpartum, as well as how to ensure your new baby has the care he or she needs in the early days of life?
This article will detail the different ways expats can get maternity and newborn insurance coverage in Malaysia, compare the best international health insurance plans for expecting families, give tips on getting the right coverage exactly when you need it, and much more.
Maternity and Newborn Insurance Options for Expats in Malaysia
Malaysia aims to offer accessible maternal and newborn care through its public insurance scheme, but it comes with limitations and isn’t available to expats. Malaysia’s private sector boasts personalized care, so expats should choose private insurance with a prenatal and postnatal rider.
Getting Maternity and Newborn Care Through Malaysia’s Public Sector
There is no way to receive public insurance coverage for maternity and newborn care as an expat in Malaysia. Expats do not qualify for Malaysia’s subsidized public healthcare and pay higher fees for medical treatment at public facilities.
It’s true that foreign workers in Malaysia between 18 and 60 years old are legally required to be enrolled in the Foreign Worker Hospitalization and Surgical Scheme (FWHS), which covers inpatient care in public hospitals, but it excludes coverage for pregnancy, childbirth, or miscarriage.
The Best Public Hospitals in Malaysia for Prenatal, Postnatal, and Newborn Care
Expats with private insurance can still receive treatment at public hospitals in Malaysia, but they will pay non-subsidized rates. If you choose to receive treatment at a public Malaysian hospital, ensure that your policy covers your chosen facility.
If you choose to receive care at a public hospital in Malaysia, consider Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Hospital Putrajaya, or University Malaya Medical Centre. Let’s learn more about each of these hospitals below.
Address: Jalan Pahang, 50586 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone number: +60 3-2615 5555
Hospital Kuala Lumpur is located in Malaysia’s capital and is the country’s largest public hospital. A teaching hospital, HKL is known for providing comprehensive care.
Address: Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, Presint 7, 62250 Putrajaya, Malaysia
Phone number: +60 3-8312 4200
Putrajaya Hospital’s OBGYN department offers two wards with 56 beds and several delivery suites. Outpatient care at Putrajaya includes prenatal, postnatal, and gynecological treatment, while inpatient care includes labor and delivery care, including for C-sections.
Pediatric care for newborns at Putrajaya Hospital includes a 14-bed ward with Level 3 care for babies under one month old. This ward has the capacity to ventilate six patients at any given time and offers facilities for nursing mothers.
University Malaya Medical Centre
Address: Jln Profesor Diraja Ungku Aziz, Seksyen 13, 50603 Petaling Jaya, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone number: +60 3-7949 4422
The prenatal clinic at Malaya Medical Centre serves pregnant women in the Klang Valley, especially those with high-risk pregnancies. Patients can receive outpatient services like prenatal, postnatal, and gynecology services, ultrasounds, and breastfeeding help.
This hospital is equipped for labor and delivery, and its child health unit specializes in caring for newborn babies who are small for their gestational age or who have high-risk complications such as congenital abnormalities or cardio-respiratory problems.
Getting Maternity and Newborn Care Through Malaysia’s Private Sector
Expats in Malaysia should always secure private health insurance for maternity and newborn care. Public subsidized health insurance does not offer maternity and newborn benefits, and private facilities and services have higher-quality care, shorter wait times, and better international services.
The Best Private Hospitals in Malaysia for Prenatal, Postnatal, and Newborn Care
Private hospitals in Malaysia allow expats to receive care more quickly and find more personalized treatment. These hospitals also often have more international services, such as translation services. Costs are generally higher, so ensure your provider covers your chosen hospital.
Some of the best private hospitals in Malaysia include Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur, Prince Court Medical Centre, Pantai Hospital, and KPJ Hospitals.
Address: 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone number: +60 3-4141 3000
Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur offers comprehensive prenatal and maternity services, including:
- Pre-conception care and pregnancy diagnosis
- Routine antenatal screening programme
- External cephalic version
- Specialised investigations
- Cardiotocography
- Ultrasound scanning/Fetal medicine
- Epidural anaesthesia
- Parentcraft classes
- Antenatal care
Neonatologists at Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur give comprehensive care for your newborn. The hospital features a state-of-the-art NICU, and specialists are prepared to treat complications such as:
- Prematurity
- Respiratory distress syndrome
- Neonatal infections
- Birth defects
- Common neonatal conditions such as jaundice
Address: 39, Jalan Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone number: +60 3-2160 0000
Doctors at Prince Court Medical Centre offer advanced obstetric services, from detailed ultrasounds and screenings to diagnostic tests and Doppler studies for high-risk pregnancies. Every year, they serve nearly 5000 women and their babies throughout pregnancy, labour, birth, and postpartum.
Their Special Care Nursery (SCN) and NICU utilize sophisticated technology and specialized care for a newborn’s early days. All babies wear a heart rate monitor, which is linked to a doctor’s phone, as well as the RFID tagging system to track the baby’s location at all times in the hospital.
Address: 8, Jalan Bukit Pantai, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Phone number: +60 3-2296 0888
Specialists and Pantai Hospital provide prenatal, labor and delivery, and postnatal care to expecting mothers and newborn babies. Prenatal care offered at Pantai includes education courses and regular checkups.
Through labor, delivery, and postpartum, the staff uses the latest technology and high-quality care to ensure mothers and babies are healthy and safe. Beyond delivery care, staff at Pantai provide immunizations and screenings.
Multiple addresses and phone numbers are available for KPJ Hospitals, depending on location.
KPJ Hospitals are operated by KPJ Healthcare Berhad, a large private healthcare provider in Malaysia. The group has over 29 hospitals across Malaysia, with an integrated network of professionals who use advanced medical technology.
One of KPJ’s unique offerings is a Maternity Package for MYR 4,500 (about USD $1,065), which covers a three-day and two-night stay with top-of-the-line care for mothers and babies. This package includes a standard room, home nursing, vaccinations, screenings, meals, and even a car seat.
Alternative Maternity and Newborn Care in Malaysia
Expats who prefer to receive maternity and newborn care from a doula and midwife should search online to find accredited caretakers in Malaysia who speak the same language. Some private hospitals in Malaysia offer midwife services, so check with your provider for coverage details.
Key Benefits Your Maternity and Newborn Insurance Should Cover in Malaysia
Because maternity and newborn coverage are not always included in standard health insurance packages, carefully research plans and providers to ensure they give adequate coverage for your pregnancy, delivery, and hospital stay. This should include both benefits for the mother and the baby.
Check whether your maternity health insurance covers the following benefits for the mother:
- Regular Checkups: This should include visits with an OBGYN or midwife, and these checkups may include internal vaginal exams, education, etc.
- Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds are common in pregnancy to determine the health, growth, and sex of the fetus.
- Diagnostic Screening or Testing: Screenings for general health and disabilities may include early blood tests, such as those completed to check for Down Syndrome, or non-invasive DNA screening.
- Labor and Delivery Costs: This includes hospital room and board, labor room use, medication, nursery care for the baby, doctor and anesthetist costs, medical supplies, and the cost of a cesarean section, fetal monitoring, ultrasounds, and lab work, if necessary.
- Pregnancy Complications: Complications may include eclampsia, amniotic fluid embolism, abruptio placentae, etc.
- Infectious Diseases: Check that your maternity coverage includes influenza A, Ebola, Zika virus, rabies, typhoid fever, and other potential diseases that could cause harm to you or the baby.
- Maternity Cancer: While rare, cancer during pregnancy can occur, with breast cancer, cervical cancer, and melanoma being the most common.
- Death of Baby or Mother: Death is, of course, the worst-case scenario in pregnancy, but coverage for the death of the mother or baby, either before or after birth, is still important to consider.
- Psychotherapy Treatments: Psychotherapy treatments may not be covered by many providers, but they can be offered to mothers for depression and anxiety disorders.
Check whether your health insurance covers the following benefits for the newborn baby:
- Neonatal Jaundice: Jaundice is common in newborns and typically resolves itself. If treatment is necessary, providers may use phototherapy, intravenous immunoglobulin, or an exchange transfusion.
- Incubation: Incubation is common for premature babies.
- Admission into Neonatal ICU (NICU): Newborns may go to the NICU because of prematurity, low birth weight, or conditions needing specialized care, like respiratory problems, infections, birth defects, low blood sugar, or severe jaundice.
- Congenital Conditions: Congenital conditions may include cleft lip, hole in the heart, Down syndrome, etc
- Infectious Diseases: Common diseases to cover are influenza A, HSV, RSV, Listeria, group B strep, or thrush.
How to Choose Private Insurance for Maternity and Newborn Coverage in Malaysia
Expats in Malaysia can purchase maternity and newborn insurance coverage from either a local provider or an international health insurance provider. Local plans will only offer coverage in Malaysia but come at a lower cost, while international plans offer top-tier benefits worldwide.
International health insurance plans offer global perks for expats that a local plan simply cannot offer. These benefits include:
- Comprehensive coverage around the globe
- Emergency evacuation and repatriation coverage
- Access to private health insurance networks, including hospitals and physicians
To speak to a private global insurance broker, contact us online, and we’ll offer obligation-free advice about your Malaysia insurance options.
Top Insurance Providers with the Best Maternity and Newborn Coverage in Malaysia
Three of the top international health insurance providers with excellent maternity and newborn coverage include Allianz, AXA, and Cigna.
Allianz
Allianz offers maternity riders for expats in Malaysia under their Care Plus and Care Pro plans. Beyond this, Allianz offers its Bloom and Bloom Plus maternity plans, which include routine maternity and complications coverage. These benefits require a 16-month waiting period.
Under the Active Pro and Active Plus plans, patients can also receive the following maternity-related benefits:
- Pregnancy Yoga or Pilates
- Breastfeeding consultation
- Post-natal counselling
- Child hearing exam
- Child home nursing
- Family expenses during childbirth (Active Pro plan only)
- Child speech and language therapy (Active Pro plan only)
- First-aid course (Active Pro plan only)
AXA
AXA’s pregnancy and childbirth coverage comes standard through their international Prestige and Prestige Plus plans, not as an added rider. These benefits include routine pregnancy and childbirth cover with a maximum of USD $16,000 for the Prestige plan and USD $19,200 for the Prestige Plus plan.
There’s an 18-month waiting period for AXA’s maternity benefits. Some of the maternity and newborn benefits included are:
- Remote midwife support
- Antenatal and postnatal support
- Newborn checks
- Medical condition cover, such as ectopic pregnancies, retained placenta, or eclampsia
- Optional routine childbirth cover
- Routine pregnancy and childbirth care
- Parent genetic testing
- Parent education courses
- Yoga and pilates
- Home help post-birth
Cigna
Cigna offers international maternity benefits through its Gold and Platinum tiers of coverage. These plans include coverage for routine maternity care and complications, as well as newborn care. These benefits are only available after a 12-month waiting period for the mother.
Cigna’s Gold plan covers routine maternity expenses up to USD $7,000, and its Platinum level covers up to USD $14,000. All of Cigna’s policies provide coverage for congenital conditions and newborn care, with Platinum-plan holders receiving up to USD $156,000 for care.
Key Considerations When Choosing Maternity and Newborn Benefits
Expats choosing a maternity and newborn health insurance plan should not only consider prenatal, delivery, and post-delivery care, and newborn care, but also their personal health history, budget, waiting periods, plan details, and more. Let’s address each of these points below:
Core Benefits
Ensure that your plan includes prenatal care, delivery and post-delivery care, newborn care, and any other benefits that are important to you. These benefits may include mental wellness benefits, coverage for child development disorders, physical therapy for pelvic floor, and more.
Personal Health History
Consider whether you have a history of medical complications, such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, or early labor. If you have a higher risk of complications during pregnancy, select a plan with extensive coverage to protect both you and your both as well as your wallet.
Waiting Periods and Plan Details
Limits and waiting periods are common in maternity benefits and plans. Check for the following:
- Coverage Limits: Consider plan caps on prenatal visits, delivery, and postnatal care.
- Exclusions: Be careful to check what isn’t included in your plan. Common exclusions include pre-existing conditions or pregnancy-related complications.
- Waiting Periods: Most international health insurance plans have a waiting period before their maternity benefits become available.
- Renewability: If you hope to have other children in the future, it may be helpful to check if the plan is renewable to avoid increased premiums or additional waiting periods.
Budget
The cost of having a baby is high, so weigh the expenses against the plan costs, such as:
- Premiums are the amount you pay each month for health insurance.
- Deductibles are the amount you pay before your insurance covers costs.
- Copays are the amount you pay for medical visits, like doctor’s visits.
- Coinsurance is the coverage percentage you pay once you have met your deductible.
- The out-of-pocket maximum is the total maximum amount you may pay for health care within a term.
How to Get the Best Private Maternity and Newborn Insurance in Malaysia
Private health insurance is essential for any expats in Malaysia who want access to high-quality care, including pregnancy and newborn medical benefits. International health insurance ensures policyholders can access treatment regardless of where they are in the world.
Pacific Prime boasts over 25 years of experience providing quality insurance options for travelers and expats, including those who want to expand their family while living abroad. By contacting a broker from Pacific Prime, you’re sure to find the right plan for you.
Pacific Prime offers travel insurance policies and health insurance plans as well as benefit packages for inpatient, outpatient, maternity, and dental care. Contact our expert advisors to get a free, no-obligation quote or impartial advice, and experience the best insurance can offer.
If you’re looking for more information on insurance and lifestyle in Malaysia, take a look at our helpful articles for expats in Malaysia:
- Takaful vs. Conventional Health Insurance in Malaysia
- Dental, Vision & Wellness Riders for Malaysian Expats
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is it to have a baby as an expat in Malaysia?
A vaginal birth in a public hospital in Malaysia costs 1,500–5,000 MYR (USD $354–1182) while a C-section costs 3,000–8,000 MYR (USD $709–1892). A vaginal birth in a private hospital in Malaysia costs 8,000–20,000 MYR (USD $1,892–4,730) while a C-section costs 12,000–25,000 MYR (USD $2,838–5,913).
What does insurance in Malaysia cover for my pregnancy?
Maternity and pregnancy coverage varies widely in Malaysia, depending on whether you opt for public or private coverage. Across private plans, you can select the level of coverage that best suits your needs.
What is Malaysia’s maternity leave policy?
Eligible female employees in Malaysia can get 98 consecutive days of fully paid maternity leave under the Employment Act 1955. To qualify for paid leave, the mother must have worked for her employer for at least 90 days in the nine months preceding her leave.
What is the best insurance for pregnancy in Malaysia?
Private health insurance is the only option for comprehensive pregnancy and newborn care in Malaysia. International health insurance offers the best care for expats in Malaysia, offering access to the best hospitals, providers, and services not just in Malaysia but worldwide.
Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).
Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.
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