Half the Cost... "Seoul Safe Postpartum Care Center" to Launch

Seoul to Select Five Private Postpartum Care Centers
Mothers to Pay 2.5 Million Won of the Two-Week Standard Fee
City Covers 1.4 Million Won... Priority Admission Discounts

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will collaborate with the private sector to operate postpartum care centers at half the usual cost. These centers will be run by private entities, while the city will provide funding for facility improvements.

On November 9, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that starting next year, it will launch a pilot project for the "Seoul-Type Safe Postpartum Care Center," which will offer standardized postpartum care services at reasonable costs.

A newborn nursery in a hospital in the Seoul metropolitan area. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

Unlike public postpartum care centers that are established and operated directly by local governments, the "Seoul-Type Safe Postpartum Care Center" will be run by private operators under agreements with the city. The city designed this model as a more efficient, cooperative alternative that fosters coexistence between the public and private sectors, taking into account the current situation in which the total number of postpartum care rooms in Seoul (1,964 rooms) exceeds the number of newborns.

Any mother residing in Seoul can use the service, but priority admission will be given to vulnerable groups and mothers with multiple children. The city plans to establish detailed operational guidelines to ensure that vulnerable groups who have difficulty accessing private postpartum care centers are guaranteed admission opportunities, while also ensuring fair access for all mothers.

The cost will be halved. Currently, the average cost for two weeks at a private postpartum care center in Seoul is 4.91 million won, with some centers charging up to 40.2 million won. However, the "Seoul-Type Safe Postpartum Care Center" being prepared by the city will apply a standard fee of 3.9 million won for two weeks, with mothers paying 2.5 million won and the city covering 1.4 million won. Households with multiple children and single-parent families will receive a 50% discount, while low-income families will receive a 100% discount.

Next year, the city plans to select five private postpartum care centers through an open call and begin operations in the first half of the year. After evaluating the results of the pilot program, the city aims to expand the Seoul-Type postpartum care service citywide starting in 2027. Facilities participating in the pilot project will be selected through document review, on-site inspections, and a review committee, and agreements will be signed to ensure compliance with public operation standards.

Through the "Seoul-Type Safe Postpartum Care Center," the city aims to provide standardized postpartum care services that not only support mothers' recovery but also enhance newborn care capabilities at home. In addition, the city will provide up to 50 million won per center for facility improvements to ensure compliance with infection and safety management standards set by the city.

The program will offer prenatal education (at least twice) before admission, rooming-in for mothers and newborns after admission, breastfeeding support, breast and whole-body care, postpartum exercise programs, and education on newborn bathing, feeding, sleep, and safety. Health management services will also be provided in connection with public health center maternal and child health programs. Facility improvement funds will be used for strengthening ventilation systems in newborn nurseries, operating intensive care rooms, installing separate waste disposal facilities, and setting up at least one room for mothers with disabilities. Separate from these improvements, detailed infection control protocols will be established to ensure a safe environment for mothers and newborns against infectious diseases.

Jung Sojin, Director of Health Management at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, "Unlike public postpartum care centers, which require more than 10 billion won and at least three to four years to build and place a financial burden on operations, the 'Seoul-Type Safe Postpartum Care Center' is a rational, mutually beneficial model that combines public interest with private sector expertise. We will support stable pilot operations so that postpartum care can mark the beginning of happy parenting."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.