Psychological support

Doctors said women opting for high-quality maternity services come from various age groups and backgrounds. However, a high proportion of them have complicated health conditions.

Xiao Wen, who experienced infertility for seven years before finally becoming pregnant last year after resorting to assisted reproductive technology for six months, signed up with the VIP unit at IPMCH.

"I went through a long and bitter experience physically and mentally before eventually giving birth, and I wanted to protect the baby with the best medical resources possible," she said.

Doctors said that compared with luxury private maternity hospitals, public hospitals have a better reputation for medical quality.

Wang, the IPMCH vice-president, said: "As a result, those at higher risk throughout pregnancy and delivery choose us. Also, it's not uncommon for a woman to decide on impulse to choose us in the middle of pregnancy if her health or that of the fetus suddenly changes.

"This is more evident nowadays, as the policy in China allows a couple to have three children, which has resulted in some older women deciding to become mothers again," she said.

Women with complicated and difficult health conditions usually request more humanistic care and mental support from doctors.

Huang said: "In some cases, women lose their first child just months after giving birth. In others, those who have been infertile for years, experience the death of their fetus. When encountering such patients, I spend a long time talking to them, as they have experienced extreme pressure."

She added that she is considering introducing psychological therapists to the service to ease the anxiety of expectant mothers, especially those who become pregnant after many failed attempts.

"Some women are unduly anxious about their unborn child. They think the baby is unhealthy if the fetus does not move often one day, and imagine that the baby is struggling if the fetus moves frequently the next day. We hope that psychological counselors can give them better guidance as a result of their professional experience," Huang said.

Wang said services at the IPMCH VIP unit will continue to be upgraded to create a better experience.

"For most women, giving birth is a first-time experience, which may influence their decision to have a second or third child. If we can offer each woman a better and even joyful experience, we may contribute to the nation's birth rate," Wang added.

The hospital's obstetrics department plans to introduce more services, such as those aiding recovery after childbirth, Wang said.

"We aim to provide the best possible support for women's health throughout their lives," she added.