Non-Malaysians must use private hospitals for maternity care. Most people choose a hospital based on ease of access, cost, comfort and the equipment and services available. Which hospital you choose may also depend on your obstetrician, who may only work at one or two hospitals. Popular choices for maternity care are Gleneagles Intan Medical Centre, Pantai Medical Centre, Subang Jaya Medical Centre, Damansara Specialist Hospital and Assunta Hospital.

Costs vary between hospitals, but some offer all in one birth packages, usually one for a natural delivery and one for a c-section. You will usually pay for antenatal visits as you go, and one way to keep costs down is to see your obstetrician at a clinic rather than at the hospital. The packages usually include all the costs relating to the birth including pain relief. Many doctors are happy for you to write your own birth plan, but there are mixed reports as to whether these carry any weight with nursing staff when the doctor isn’t there. There aren’t any doulas currently practising in KL, and you can usually just have person in the delivery room with you. The rooms are fairly basic and not well set up for active birth, but some doctors may allow you to bring in aids such as a fitball. Private rooms aren’t too expensive; Gleneagles has single rooms from RM230 a night.