American mother Katie Lee spent approximately $5,000 to stay in a Taiwan postpartum care center following the July birth of her daughter, Ruby, according to reporting by CNBC Make It. The experience provided round-the-clock baby care, meals prepared by a postpartum nutritionist, and mom-focused amenities, contrasting sharply with the high out-of-pocket medical and childcare costs typical in the United States.
Relocation and Healthcare Access in Taipei
Lee, 34, moved from Columbus, Ohio, to Taipei, Taiwan, in July 2024 alongside her husband, Jason, and their five-year-old son, Forrest, according to CNBC Make It. The family planned a 13-month career break to spend time with paternal grandparents living overseas, timing the move with their son’s kindergarten year. Lee secured a spousal visa granting residency status approximately three months before departure and gained access to Taiwan’s national health insurance after six months of residency.
Before obtaining national health insurance, Lee’s OB-GYN appointments cost under $30 USD each, according to CNBC Make It. Once benefits took effect, checkup fees dropped to between $6 and $16. By comparison, Lee recalled U.S. OB-GYN visits costing $150 to $200 per visit despite insurance coverage. Giving birth to her first son in the U.S. involved steep expenses, including a 23-hour neonatal intensive care unit stay that helped the family max out a $10,000 out-of-pocket maximum on a high-deductible insurance plan.
In contrast, Lee gave birth to Ruby at a private birthing clinic in Taiwan for under $2,000, according to CNBC Make It. The total covered a two-night, three-day stay in a private room that included meals provided by a nutritionist. Lee noted that utilizing a public hospital in Taiwan could reduce delivery costs to a few hundred dollars.
Postpartum Care Centers and Traditional Recovery
Following her discharge from the clinic, Lee spent 10 days at a Taiwanese postpartum care center, investing roughly $5,000 total for the delivery and the recovery stay, according to CNBC Make It. The facility offered 24/7 infant care, customized nutritional meals, Chinese medicine treatments, and accommodations such as massages, hair washes, and yoga sessions.
The care centers build on “zuo yue zi,” or “sitting the month,” an ancient Chinese practice providing new mothers several weeks of rest and recovery after childbirth. While Lee stayed for 10 days, new mothers in Taiwan typically spend close to 30 days in such facilities. Government figures from 2014 cited by CNBC Make It indicate that over 50% of new mothers in Taiwan visited a postpartum clinic, spending an average of $4,000 for their stay. The sector expanded significantly between 2006 and 2016, with registered locations growing four-fold to 193 facilities.
Lee continues to manage postpartum anxiety, a condition she also experienced after her first pregnancy, but notes the structured support environment made the transition easier than her initial experience in the U.S., according to CNBC Make It. The family plans to return to the United States in October as a family of four.