St. Martin De Porres Charity Hospital

Having a baby in your tummy is one of the greatest feelings you’ll ever had … ever. But mommies-to-be or parents-to-be can’t hide the feelings of uncertainty and worries when it comes to choosing the right maternity hospital for them, especially if one of the things to be considered is your budget. Now that you are going to be a parent, you have to be wise.

---

Nowadays, Maternity packages are so expensive. It usually ranges from 20,000 – 50,000 for spontaneous normal delivery while 60,000-up for Emergency Caesarian Delivery. Not to mention the monthly prenatal check up, vitamins, prenatal milk and laboratory expenses. Yet, not all hospital or lying in has a good service, a good doctor and safe. See? It’s really not a joke. So, you really have to think twice in choosing the right Maternity Hospital and a trusted OB Gynecologist.

For first time mother, I would suggest they prefer a Hospital than a lying-in for their monthly prenatal and delivery. Since it’s your first pregnancy, you don’t know how well or worst you are during pregnancy. Especially when it’s time for your delivery. I have heard many stories, usually sad and unfortunate when it comes to giving birth in a lying-in only. The fact that lying-in has limited facilities and expert Doctors. You could give birth in a lying-in if it’s your second pregnancy; by then you already know how your body reacts to your pregnancy and delivery.

As for me, there are many hospitals around us namely- Victor R. Potenciano Medical Hospital, Mandaluyong City Medical Center, Sta. Ana Medical Center, Unciano General Hospital, Lourdes Medical Hospital and St. Martin De Porres Charity Hospital. We decided to choose St. Martin De Porres Charity Hospital located at Bonifacio Street, San Juan. Its nearest landmark is the Domican College and Santuariao del Sto. Cristo Church. St. Martin De Porres Charity Hospital is not a government owned hospital. It is operating by 57 years last September 27, 2016. Originally known as Blessed Martin De Porres Free Clinic.

From our place, we just ride a tricycle to Shaw (Metro) Mall in Nueve De Pebrero for Php 15.00 for special trip then take a jeep to JRU, SM Hypermarket Kanan via Starmall for Php 8.00 per head. When we’re in San Juan, we walk up to Jollibee, and then from there we took a tricycle to St. Martin for Php 15.00 (special trip). So you’re just going to spend Php 76.00 vice versa. You could also ride a jeep and take off at the Domican College and San Juan Church then walk for just more or less 3 minutes to get to St. Martin de Porres.

If you’re a new patient, you have to go straight to the INFORMATION/RECORDS SECTION to secure your new records through filling up the Patient’s Information and card, yellow for charity while green for private patient. Remember, your chosen type of card will be your lifetime card in St. Martin every consultation.

After that, they will instruct you to go to the OB-OPD Section of the hospital to schedule an appointment. Scheduling of Appointments for New Patient is as follows:

Mon, Fri, Sat   = 2:00-3:00 pm

Tue, Wed, Thu = 10:00-11:00 am; 2:00-3:00 pm

They will have you sign a waiver and an agreement, stating that the hospital doesn’t have an incubator (yes, they don’t have any, that’s why they are extremely strict with the prenatal check up because they don’t want any risk or complications that will lead to pre term labor) and that if you failed to come on your scheduled appointment, THE HOSPITAL WILL NOT ACCEPT YOU ANYMORE, even if you are near the BIG day. Yes, that is how they disciplined their patients. As per one of the resident OB-Gynecologist once said,” They did not become a doctor in just one day!” So you really have to be responsible with your appointments, not because it’s the policy but it’s for you and your baby’s health.

During my first trimesters, my appointments is just once a month, not unless you belong to the high risk group of pregnancies. High risk means you have gestational diabetes, spotting, open cervix etc. Luckily, I have a healthy pregnancy, not after my OGTT results. Kindly click this link to know more about OGTT 🙂

 https://thetipsyroyalpen.wordpress.com/2017/02/19/oral-glucose-tolerance-test-ogtt/

 

My result is not that high though, but my OB just wanna make sure that I will not develop Gestational Diabetes, so they instructed me to have an appointment with Dr. Ang for my blood sugar monitoring. That’s why my prenatal appointment with my OB changes from Saturday to Monday.

Remember, every time you come to St. Martin for your prenatal, you must head first in the RECORDS SECTION to get your records/folder. It’s either they will give your folder to you or they will be the one to bring your folder to the OB-OPD.

For the laboratories, OB Sonologist at St. Martin is by schedule that’s why I had my ultrasound and other laboratories outside the hospital. I would recommend Birth Place Clinic by Dr. Sharon Mendoza located in front of Mandaluyong City Medical Center. They have a friendly staff and up to date machine. The following were the cost of the ultrasound during my time.

PBS (Biophysical) Ultrasound         =          Php 900.00

Congenital Ultrasound                      =          Php 2,800.00

Pelvic Ultrasound                  =          Php 650.00

I also tried Baby in my Tummy Clinic adjacent the Birth Place and John Vier Laboratory Clinic near Mandaluyong City Medical Center, both clinics have an OB Sonologist and cost cheaper than Birth Place. Ultrasound for pregnant should be done by a license OB-Son, not by just a technician only. A number of times of ultrasound during pregnancy is not the same; it will depend on your pregnancy case and by the hospital as well, as I have noticed and heard that most of the government hospital has had less number of ultrasound all throughout the pregnancy.

Bear in mind that after the prenatal and delivery does not mean your expenses also ended. It is just the beginning, that’s why you have to be really wise in spending hard-earned money. This also applies in purchasing baby clothes, things, and other accessories. Branded and expensive ones do not guarantee your child’s future and health. It is how you take care and love him/her. After all, we were all born with no clothes at all and at the end of the day, we will be known not through the clothes we wear, the hospital where we’re born or the school we’ve attended to, but on how we are as a person.

 

Love ♥,