Good News and Bad News at SGH High-Risk Clinic

The good news is, the baby is doing fine.

The bad news is, we have to choose between abortion or keeping the pregnancy but both carries an amount of risk.

Another problem is the massive cost because my wife is a foreigner, it's beyond my financial capability. The following letter that I have prepared for her doctor in Thailand sums it all up.

Dear Srinagarind Hospital Doctor,

Me and my wife have seen the cardiologist (Mdm Tan Ju Le) and gynaecologist (Mr Tan Lay Kok) in Singapore General Hospital (SGH) on 29th July 2013.

We have a medical report from the cardiologist specifying her prosthetic valve condition.

This memo contains additional information provided by the doctors during our meeting, and also things that we need to bring to your attention.

According to the cardiologist, my wife is likely to have moderately severe to severe prosthetic valve stenosis. The main concern is whether my wife can survive her pregnancy because there will be increased strain on her heart as her pregnancy progresses.

The doctors presented two options, abortion or continue with the pregnancy, and they emphasized that either way carries an amount of risk.

We are leaning towards keeping the pregnancy, but we are worried about the potential cost. According to the cardiologist, if we should proceed with the pregnancy, depending on her condition, she may need to change her heart valve, such a procedure may cost between 30,000 to 50,000 Singapore Dollars. And from her 24th week of pregnancy, she will need to stay in the hospital for at least 3 months, the 4-bedded ward charges may cost between 18,000 to 20,000 Singapore Dollars.

We are looking at a potential cost of 70,000 Singapore Dollars and as my wife is still considered a foreigner in Singapore, she is not entitled to any government subsidy. I have also tried to purchase insurance for her but due to her condition, it is not possible.

My wife was put on Clexane (Low Molecular Weight Heparin) starting from 5th June 2013 8PM to her last injection on 2nd August 2013 8PM, for 59 days, 118 syringes but 1 was damaged, 60mg per syringe, two injections a day, twelve hours apart.

We have seen the haematologist Dr Ng Heng Joo in SGH on 26th July 2013, he instructed my wife to continue Clexane to 2nd August 2013, but also to start Wafarin on 29th July 2013 at 3mg a day. Her wafarin dosage prior to Clexane was 3mg from Mondays to Fridays, and 1.5mg for Saturdays and Sundays.

We have decided to seek medical help from Thailand due to our financial constraint and also because the doctor in Srinagarind Hospital is more familiar with her condition.

Best Regards