[SH Health Guide] 'Shanghai Cradle' Brings World-class Care to International Families

Shanghai is boosting international medical tourism. In this column, SH Health Guide, we will highlight the strongest features of each hospital, including services or specialties, as well as unique, attractive points such as price and efficiency.

Credit: Dong Jun

Caption: Dr Li Xiaocui, vice president of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, talks to a patient at the outpatient department.

Shanghai's health authorities have initiated a pilot program aimed at encouraging local hospitals to provide streamlined health services to boost international medical tourism.

Hospitals are refining their processes and improving services to attract expatriate patients by offering exceptional medical capabilities, innovative practices, efficient procedures, competitive pricing, and internationalized service.

Today, we highlight the Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, known as "Shanghai Cradle," for delivering the highest number of newborns in the city.

The hospital's key offerings include obstetric and gynecological services, providing comprehensive care throughout the life cycle. Services encompass genetic consultations, health checkups, pre-pregnancy consultations, prenatal care, delivery services, in vitro fertilization, gynecological tumor surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

Credit: Dong Jun

Caption: Dr Li Xiaocui of Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital explains to a patient receiving an ultrasound check at the international medical department.

International Health Check & Gynecologic Care

"Our hospital's international medical department provides a comprehensive one-stop health check package, including internal medicine checks for the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, and kidneys, together with full gynecologic screening," said Dr Li Xiaocui, vice president of the hospital.

"The entire exam is minimally invasive, efficient, and convenient and can be completed in just half a day. For expatriate patients, it is very convenient."

The package includes:

Gynecologic examination: TCT, HPV test, and pelvic ultrasound
Tumor markers
Liver and kidney function
Infectious disease screening
General blood tests

All tests can be finished with one single blood draw in about 30 minutes.

For international patients

Dedicated rooms and private channels
On-site ultrasound and blood draw services
Results available within one week
Official English medical reports
Separate notices for abnormal findings
Clear, professional explanations in English

When abnormalities are found

If tumor markers are elevated, further evaluation is suggested, such as a gastroenterology review
For HPV-positive but normal cytology, pregnancy is considered safe and regular follow-up is recommended.
If cervical lesions are detected, relevant checks and tests are arranged immediately.
For uterine polyps or fibroids, tests are conducted to assess whether they can affect pregnancy.
Benign and non‑obstructive: observation only
Indicated for surgery: prompt treatment arranged

Surgery advantages

Hysteroscopy: usually a day surgery; patients can go home the same day
Recovery is fast, with little pain
Waiting times are much shorter than in many Western countries (often weeks instead of months)

Fertility & preconception care

Full pre-pregnancy evaluation for both partners:

Male fertility and semen analysis
Ovarian reserve testing
Genetic counseling and carrier screening
Personalized advice on the timing of pregnancy

Support for conditions like PCOS, obesity, and hormonal disorders

The hospital also provides integrated Western and traditional Chinese medicine to improve fertility, especially for patients with weight issues or metabolic problems.

Cost advantage

Fees are less than half the cost of similar procedures in Europe or the US
A hysteroscopy costs only around 3,000 yuan, compared to US$10,000–US$20,000 in the US
Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT/IVF) is also much more affordable

No appointment needed

Walk-ins welcome
No fasting required for most tests
HbA1c and random glucose instead of fasting blood sugar
Very foreigner-friendly by offering bilingual service, privacy protection and wide coverage of commercial insurance

"For international patients traveling to China, this is an ideal opportunity to complete a full health check and address any gynecologic or fertility issues during their trip," Li added.

Credit: Dong Jun

Caption: Dr Wang Yu talks to a patient at outpatient department.

Precision Prevention, Screening, Diagnosis & Treatment for Gynecologic Cancers

Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among all gynecologic cancers, largely because it is extremely difficult to detect at an early stage. About 25 percent of cases are related to genetic and family risk factors.

The World Health Organization does not recommend general population screening using only ultrasound and tumor markers, as such an approach often leads to over-treatment and unnecessary interventions.

The hospital's program focuses on precision early screening for high-risk groups, including:

Individuals with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer
Male relatives with pancreatic or prostate cancer
Patients with endometrial cancer or long-term renal cancer

They use an original integrated screening system:

Online and offline risk questionnaires to identify hidden family risks
Micro-volume blood testing for high-precision biomarkers (with patented research technology)
A comprehensive "combined strategy" of blood tests, B-ultrasound, tumor markers and genetic testing
Long-term cohort follow-up for continuous health monitoring

"Early-stage ovarian cancer has a survival rate as high as 95 percent, compared with only less than 30 percent for late-stage disease," said Dr Wang Yu, a gynecological oncologist at the hospital.

"The full screening package costs about 4,250 yuan, a highly cost-effective option with much higher accuracy than similar services abroad, where direct preventive ovarian removal is often the only alternative. Most importantly, the high-precision biomarker testing is developed by our team and is now only available at our hospital."

An ovarian cancer screening package in the West is much more expensive. The cost is usually 4 to 5 times.

For gynecological tumor treatment, they provide minimally invasive, rapid and precise surgery:

Single-port laparoscopy (only a 2 cm incision)
Hospital stay within 48 hours (day surgery)
Faster recovery, less pain, better cosmetic results
Applicable to most benign gynecologic diseases, early ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, cervical cancer and breast cancer-related procedures

"Single-port surgery is not only for a good appearance but also for better recovery, less pain, and quicker intestinal function recovery." Patients can stand and walk 6 to 8 hours after surgery," Wang said. "One hole is also very positive to patients' psychology. There is one band-aid on the wound after surgery. We also give an anesthetic to the wound so patients feel no pain. It is very friendly for patients."

"We also offer personalized precision treatment through an MDT (multidisciplinary team) including oncology, pathology, radiology and nutrition, supporting both domestic and international patients with clear guidance and convenient care," she added.

For cervical cancer prevention, they provide HPV vaccinations and a three-step screening and management protocol for HPV-positive patients, which is efficient, accessible, and affordable compared with many Western countries.

Our integrated model of screening, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term follow-up is unique in its completeness – few centers in the US, Japan, and Europe offer such a comprehensive, patient-friendly system.