wisdom of getting pregnant when both husband and wife are unemployed

Although money is an important consideration in having a baby, to me it would not be the MAIN consideration. You can always be resourceful and prioritize with cost savings. HK is an expensive city but by the same token there are lots of people selling good quality items second hand, and factory outlets with good finds. Raising a baby is an emotional issue as well. I agree with Nicolejoy that you are more likely to regret NOT having a baby, instead of regret having one that you can't afford. I don't think any baby is unhappy that it is lacking in material comforts - it is only peer pressure that is learned later on.
 
Thank you all for the thoughtful comments. I concur with many views here that financial consideration is not the only consideration. Advanced maternal age is, for all the risks it carries.

If anyone has information on public hospital costs for pregnancy check ups, delivery etc, would appreciate it, especially the Prince of Wales hospital. Thank you, once again.
 
all public hospital charges are the same no matter which hospital you go to. other than that, what kind of information are you looking for?
 
I am interested to know the usual cost of the antenatal tests, the doctors' consultation fees, ultra sounds, blood work, other tests for Down syndrome etc, delivery costs and then hospital fees for the stay (preferably a private room if that option exists). Thank you.
 
If you go completely public in a ward room, the cost of EVERYTHING including antenatal tests, doctors fees, ultrasounds and blood work would be less than $500. If you get a private room, the price is MUCH MUCH higher than that though as you will need to pay for EVERYTHING yourself. You'd be looking at more like $60,000+ for a private room.

I know that Pamela Youde has a "semi-private" option (four bed room with private bathroom for those four people) which is about $7,000 or so - but this is the only public hospital that I know of with this option. Queen Mary definitely does not have that option, I'm not sure about any on Kowloon side.
 
bagel, to be honest, it really doesn't sound to me like money is an issue for you, even though you have both been unemployed. you already have a helper and now you are considering a private room in a hospital. that being the case, i don't know why you would wait. it doesn't sound like you are living day-to-day, hand-to-mouth right now, and if that's the case then there are places you'll be able to cut expenses further in order to have your next child.
 
also, keep in mind, you don't get to choose your public hospital, it's done according to area of residence.
 
Thanks for the replies and information. No, we are not strapped for cash now, but we don't want to get there either!

I live in NT and I would want the Prince of Wales because of their neonatal unit. So, how to make this happen? Choose a doctor there? Is that how it works?
 
You need to have a postal address in their catchment area. Some people go to hospitals outside of their catchment area by sending mail addressed to them to a friend's house in the catchment area and then using that address as if it is their own. Note that if you do that, any correspondence between the hospital and you will go to your friends address. The honest thing to do is to go to the hospital closest to your home.
 
all of the maternity hospitals in hk will have a neo-natal unit, at least, all of the public ones anyway.

for the public system, you do not get to choose your doctor. you register with the delivery hospital and they will assign you an appt day/time. you show up and follow their instructions. at public hospitals you are not guaranteed of seeing the same doctor each time. one of the cons of using the public system.
 
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