By Jennifer Liu

Copyright cnbc

Back in the U.S., Lee recalls most OB-GYN appointments coming out to around $150 to $200 per visit, even with insurance. “We didn’t have good insurance at the time,” she says.

That adds up when you’re scheduling appointments for every month until the third trimester when they get to the point of becoming weekly.

Giving birth to Forrest involved paying “a boatload of money,” Lee says: Between the birth and hospital stay, Forrest’s 23 hours in the NICU and follow-up appointments, the Lees maxed out their high deductible insurance plan’s out-of-pocket maximum of $10,000.

In Taiwan, meanwhile, the family paid a lot less for a much more accommodating experience.

Lee gave birth to her daughter, Ruby, in July. OB-GYN appointments were under $30 USD prior to obtaining national health insurance. After securing benefits, checkups dropped to between $6 and $16.

Lee gave birth at a private birthing clinic for under $2,000, where she spent two days and three nights in a private room with nutritionist-provided meals included. Lee estimates staying at a public hospital in Taiwan could cost as low as a few hundred dollars.

Then, Lee spent 10 days at a postpartum care facility at a rate of $300 a day. The cost covers 24/7 baby care, all meals prepared by a postpartum nutritionist, Chinese medicine treatments and mom-focused accommodations like free massages, hair washes and yoga sessions.