If you are pregnant while in Saudi Arabia, here's some information to help you out.
29 September 2013
| Last updated on 17 July 2017
Pregnancy is not something that occurs accidentally in Saudi Arabia and expat pregnancies are often planned. The simple truth is that it is expensive to give birth and raising a child is also pricier in the Kingdom than it may be in your home country.
Furthermore, extramarital relationships are prohibited and a pregnancy out of wedlock would land the woman and man in a lot of trouble in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. If you have chosen to become pregnant and have your baby in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we have all the information that you need.
The hospitals in Saudi Arabia are modern and the doctors are well educated and great at what they do. You will have to choose your doctor (OB/GYN) and hospital in the first few months of your pregnancy. This will ensure that you create a relationship with both so that your birth is stress-free and comfortable.
The prenatal appointments are quite straight forward. When you come in for your appointment, your weight, blood pressure, temperature, ect. will be taken by one of the nurses. Thereafter, you will wait to be called into your doctor’s room. At almost every appointment, the doctor will perform a short ultrasound to check the size and the vitals of your baby until your seventh month. Thereafter, they will listen for the heartbeat and measure the circumference of your stomach.
At around 20 weeks, you will be sent for a “big” ultrasound, where the technician will check every part of the baby to make sure all is normal. The technician will also be able to tell the gender of the baby at this point. If there is an abnormality with the ultrasound, you will be sent to a specialist and you may or may not be given a 4D ultrasound.
All in all, pre natal care in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is of an international standard and all parts of the pregnancy are considered. If you have a history of postpartum depression, inform your OB/GYN who will make a referral for you before the birth to ensure that you get an appointment right after the birth. The major hospitals are equipped with emergency care in the case of an emergency C-section.
