Free antenatal care (ANC) for pregnant women and partners
 
Thai pregnant women can access free ‘quality antenatal care (ANC)’ under the Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) comprising the government’s three healthcare schemes Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS), Social Security Scheme, and Civil Servant Medical Benefits.
 
“Providing healthcare to babies since they are in the mothers’ wombs is very important for ensuring their good health, quality growth, and cognitive development when they grow up,” said Dr Jadej Thammatacharee, secretary-general of National Health Security Office (NHSO) overseeing the UCS.
 
“This will lead them to have happy and successful lives. Because they are healthy and productive, and able to develop skills and critical thinking necessary for living and working in adulthood.”  
 
The NHSO has introduced antenatal care in the UCS benefits package since its introduction in 2002. The healthcare benefits for pregnant women have been continually improved throughout the years.
 
Currently, pregnant women can request antenatal care in eight hospital visits, increasing from five in 2016.
 
The NHSO adjusted the reimbursement system in 2019 by introducing a fee schedule payment to cover the cost incurred during antenatal care, allowing hospital operators to be flexible in healthcare provisions.
 
The benefits cover mothers’ pregnancy tests, medical consulting, medical check-ups, ultrasounds, mental health, and dental care. The others include;
 

• Glucose level test for the prevention of gestational diabetes in mothers.
• One dose of tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine for the protection of newborns from whooping cough or pertussis.

 

• Daily oral iron and folic acid supplementation for pregnant women preventing maternal anaemia, puerperal sepsis, low birth weight, and preterm birth.

 

• Iodine supplementation, which is essential for healthy brain development in the fetus and young child.

 

• Diagnosis tests for syphilis, HIV, hepatic B, thalassemia in mothers.

 

• Complete Blood Count test and ABO typing.

 

• Down syndrome screening during pregnancy.

 
From 2022 onward, partners of pregnant women can request syphilis screening tests to prevent the transmission of the disease from partners to mothers and infants.
 
They can also get thalassemia screening tests to assess the risks of inherited thalassemia in children.
 
Items in the benefits package are adopted from the Department of Health, Public Health Ministry recommendations, the Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and the World Health Organization. 
 
Between 400,000 and 500,000 pregnant women get antenatal care under the UHC each year, costing around 1.2 billion baht for healthcare provisions.
 
“The cost is not expensive when considering the outcomes, which infants will grow up with quality life and return economic benefits to the country,” said Dr Jadej.
 
“We encourage pregnant women to visit hospitals and get antenatal care. They should remain to consult with medical staff from the same hospital throughout their pregnancy, which will ensure the continuity and effectiveness of care.”
 
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