Proposal for health insurance to cover treatment costs for children from the fetal stage

Mr. Nguyen Duy Anh, director of the Central Maternity Hospital, spoke at the conference - Photo: BVCC

Speaking to the press at the 3rd annual conference on fetal medicine recently held in Hanoi , Mr. Anh said that the previous medical perspective and capabilities could not treat at the fetal stage, but now doctors can use cameras and endoscopes to intervene and correct if the baby has many cardiovascular diseases, twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, oligohydramnios, diaphragmatic hernia, anemia affecting many internal organs... right at the fetal stage.

"We are behind many countries in the world in these techniques, but currently domestic maternity and pediatric hospitals are developing techniques. Tu Du Hospital and Children's Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City have successfully performed many heart catheterizations to save the lives of children from the fetal stage. We can diagnose and perform many other techniques," said Mr. Anh.

At the Central Maternity Hospital, Mr. Anh said that he had sent a team of doctors and nurses to study for the past two years, had prepared the premises, and the Ministry of Health had decided to allow the hospital to open a Fetal Medicine Center. The hospital's goal is to treat babies with diseases that can be treated while they are still in the womb.

"There are 0.1-1.9/1,000 twins with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, other diseases such as amniotic fibrosis, oligohydramnios... can all be intervened from an early stage, if health insurance covers it, families will be less burdened with treatment costs. I propose that health insurance cover or support payment" - Mr. Anh said.

At this year's conference, for the first time, Vietnamese doctors were trained in balloon placement and removal techniques in the treatment of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a complex technique only performed at the world's leading fetal medicine centers.

500 doctors at 20 maternity hospitals in the country were also introduced to research on fetal intervention surgery; laser treatment of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome; fetal anemia; fetal pleural effusion...

RED RIVER

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/de-nghi-bao-hiem-y-te-chi-tra-phi-dieu-tri-cho-tre-em-tu-giai-doan-bao-thai-20250525155908951.htm