From Suzhou to Shanghai: An Inter-City Maternity Journey

2026-06

On an evening in early June, 2026, the International Birth Center at Shanghai Am-Sino Women & Children’s Hospital welcomed a healthy baby boy born to Gabbie. Although she lives in Suzhou, Gabbie made regular trips to Shanghai throughout her pregnancy to ensure consistent and high-quality prenatal care. Her original due date was May 29, 2026, and at 40 weeks and 5 days, Dr Sylvia Dai sat down with the family to discuss the benefits and risks of an induction of labour, with the family deciding on an induction rather than waiting longer for labour to start on its own. Since ultrasounds had shown that the baby could be large for gestational age, there is an increased risk for shoulder dystocia- essentially the baby’s shoulders getting ‘stuck’ during the birthing process- as well as for postpartum hemorrhage.

In preparation, comprehensive emergency protocols for these challenging scenarios were reviewed by the team, with all necessary arrangements made to safeguard the birth.

After 6 hours of labour and her cervix dilating to 6cm, the baby seemed to be slow to rotate into the optimal birthing position and was still lying in a left occiput posterior (LOP) position. Even with epidural for pain relief, Gabbie was able to try labouring in different positions, including using a peanut ball, to help the baby rotate, and following this he shifted into the optimal position for birth.

Subsequently, a healthy baby boy was delivered that evening weighing (as suspected) just over 4 kg. The delivery went smoothly with no episiotomy, and in fact no perineal tear at all, an estimated blood loss of just 250ml, and immediate skin-to-skin encouraging the successful initiation of breastfeeding.

The delivery ultimately unfolded without complications - baby came out safely and the mother did not experience significant bleeding – and the family felt deeply reassured knowing that thoughtful labour guidance and thorough safety measures were in place to safeguard their baby’s smooth and uneventful entry into the world.

At the Am-Sino Birth Center, we believe every birth is a story of trust. Our commitment to safety, clinical excellence, and personalised care has earned the confidence of families from over 40 countries around the world.

We maintain a 0% routine episiotomy rate (for three consecutive years), support freedom of movement and positioning during labour, and encourage immediate skin-to-skin contact to promote successful breastfeeding initiation. For families navigating complex scenarios- such as expected macrosomia or malpositioning- our experienced obstetric team provides thoughtful labour guidance and thorough safety planning, ensuring you feel informed and reassured every step of the way.

Transparency is at the heart of what we do. We believe the best decisions are well-informed ones, which is why we openly share our clinical outcomes. Explore our full quality indicators to see the data behind our care. (Beyond Promises: Real Outcomes from 2024-2025) — See why families around the world trust us with their most precious moments.