Going home to give birth? | ExpatWoman.com
 

Going home to give birth?

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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 January 2011 - 14:50

Hi there,

Have just found out that I am pregnant with third child and wanted to find out if any others have had experience of going home to the UK to give birth. My due date is first week of September roughly so it would mean that the hottest (and dullest) months here would be my last two months. The idea of being stuck here with two tots and an enormous belly just fills me with dread!
My insurance seems to be all singing all dancing but my preliminary research into private birth in the UK has not yielded many options and they all seem to be in London. Am I even entitled to give birth as an expatriate in an NHS hospital? We've not been resident in the Uk for over two years and our house is rented out. We'd have to rent somewhere and then it would probably be in close proximity to family rather than where we lived before and were/are registered with a GP.

Anyone with experience of this?

Many thanks!

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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 22 January 2011 - 13:06
Yikes - that's so unfair! I hope you get it sorted :(.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 22 January 2011 - 13:02
Im flying first day of 36 and returning last day - hopefully. In Etihad website it says preggies are allowed till end of 36. So do they have the right not to let me on even with a certificate? to be brutally honest, it's not just about being able to push the airline to the limit of its own rules and regulations, but also, are you comfortable with the chance that you could give birth on the plane? Or indeed being turned away at the gate on your return flight? These policies are in place for a good reason, after all. You're cutting it extremely fine there and the longer you leave it, the more risk you're taking. If you're comfortable with those risks (including a potentially unassisted birth), then so be it, but you've got to seriously think about all the scenarios, including having to stay in the UK (stranded) to give birth and unable to get back until the baby's paperwork is through. Is there no way you can bring your holiday forward a week or two? edited by Hello.Kitty on 22/01/2011 I wish it was a holiday. I am doing my masters degree and i have to go for assessment. The dates are fixed way before my "unplanned" pregnancy. If i don't go i fail. I'm miserable, especially that i'm just back from my Dr and she said she is not clearing me after 32 weeks even if the airline policy says 36 cuz this is my 3rd baby..... Aww, hun! If ever there were watertight "extenuating circumstances" then you have them! Look to your University's submission policy and fill out the extenuating circumstances/ extension of time form. The fact that you are 36 weeks pg and not allowed to fly for medical reasons (and told so by your Dr) is absolutely guaranteed to get some kind of leniency. Talk to your tutor and submit the form - there's no way they can fail you due to non-attendance if you give them good notice and good reasons... unless of course they fancy a law-suit.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 22 January 2011 - 12:03
Im flying first day of 36 and returning last day - hopefully. In Etihad website it says preggies are allowed till end of 36. So do they have the right not to let me on even with a certificate? to be brutally honest, it's not just about being able to push the airline to the limit of its own rules and regulations, but also, are you comfortable with the chance that you could give birth on the plane? Or indeed being turned away at the gate on your return flight? These policies are in place for a good reason, after all. You're cutting it extremely fine there and the longer you leave it, the more risk you're taking. If you're comfortable with those risks (including a potentially unassisted birth), then so be it, but you've got to seriously think about all the scenarios, including having to stay in the UK (stranded) to give birth and unable to get back until the baby's paperwork is through. Is there no way you can bring your holiday forward a week or two? edited by Hello.Kitty on 22/01/2011 I wish it was a holiday. I am doing my masters degree and i have to go for assessment. The dates are fixed way before my "unplanned" pregnancy. If i don't go i fail. I'm miserable, especially that i'm just back from my Dr and she said she is not clearing me after 32 weeks even if the airline policy says 36 cuz this is my 3rd baby.....
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 22 January 2011 - 00:51
I'd agree with that. It's a big risk.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 January 2011 - 23:45
Im flying first day of 36 and returning last day - hopefully. In Etihad website it says preggies are allowed till end of 36. So do they have the right not to let me on even with a certificate? to be brutally honest, it's not just about being able to push the airline to the limit of its own rules and regulations, but also, are you comfortable with the chance that you could give birth on the plane? Or indeed being turned away at the gate on your return flight? These policies are in place for a good reason, after all. You're cutting it extremely fine there and the longer you leave it, the more risk you're taking. If you're comfortable with those risks (including a potentially unassisted birth), then so be it, but you've got to seriously think about all the scenarios, including having to stay in the UK (stranded) to give birth and unable to get back until the baby's paperwork is through. Is there no way you can bring your holiday forward a week or two? <em>edited by Hello.Kitty on 22/01/2011</em>
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2011 - 21:41
If their website says you're allowed to fly until the end of the 36th week and you have the appropriate certificate, then (going by what procedures used to be when I was crew with Emirates) they'd have to have you assessed by the airport medical staff if they wanted to refuse to take you. I would call and ask them, just to be on the safe side.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 January 2011 - 20:50
Im flying first day of 36 and returning last day - hopefully. In Etihad website it says preggies are allowed till end of 36. So do they have the right not to let me on even with a certificate?
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2011 - 17:55
Ether or sauvignon blanc - that'll teach me to post after a few! :D
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 January 2011 - 15:08
That's what I was saying - [i'>if[/i'> they don't decide at the gate you're ready to drop. I didn't mean they don't make the decision at the gate! If they do think you're too far gone, then you ain't gettin' on :D . ah, the sarky tone got lost in the ether! ;)
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 21 January 2011 - 12:30
That's what I was saying - [i'>if[/i'> they don't decide at the gate you're ready to drop. I didn't mean they don't make the decision at the gate! If they do think you're too far gone, then you ain't gettin' on :D . When I was crew our manuals stated you could fly until the end of the 35th week with just your certificate, so from 36 weeks onwards you couldn't fly unless you had prior approval from Emirates medical department. That's still the info on their website too. I had an awful situation once where we had a lady who was clearly heavily pregnant and unfortunately, clearly beyond 36 weeks because she didn't have a certificate with her and was trying to hide her belly. Between us we had to make the decision whether to carry her or not and sadly we couldn't, although I felt for her desperately. She was going back to the UK and I often wondered what happened to her.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 21 January 2011 - 10:49
End of 35 weeks if you're flying Emirates and they don't decide at the gate you're ready to drop ;) Oh yes they do! I was stopped at the boarding gate (had already gone through check-in and all that, where they didn't even realise I was pg) and quizzed when I was 27 weeks and the woman looked very sceptical and hesitated to admit me until I produced the certificate (which strictly speaking I didn't need at that point). Besides, you have to complete your travel by 35 weeks. I'm sure it's for the airline's insurance or something and no member of staff is going to take responsibility for that. They can refuse to admit anyone, regardless of fit-to-fly because they are responsible for the safety of everyone on board and won't take risks (rightly so). <em>edited by Hello.Kitty on 21/01/2011</em>
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 20 January 2011 - 23:44
End of 35 weeks if you're flying Emirates and they don't decide at the gate you're ready to drop ;). OK I just talked to her and this is what happened; She doesn't have her residency visa in Kuwait yet (problems with her DH's company sorting it) so she was advised to go home and have the baby to avoid possible problems with getting birth certificates and passports. She went home at 34 weeks and went to her local GP to register. She explained she wasn't a resident in Kuwait yet and had to prove she hadn't a) been out of the UK for longer than 2 years in total and b) hadn't left more than two years ago (even if she'd been back in the meantime). Then all she had to do was register officially at the GP and that was that, they told her which hospital she'd be delivering at. She's going to find the letter the hospital gave her and let me know what it says so I'll update you when she gets back to me.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 January 2011 - 23:10
Ok so i have a permanent UK address, and i am registered at the GP (although i didnt have to c him except for the registration), and i've been out of the UK since September 2010. I am going for a vacation at 36 weeks for one week. Say i had to deliver there as an emergency, does anyone have an idea if i will be entitled for NHS treatment? can i just pop at the hospital for giving birth? lol Er, how are you going to get there when no airlines will fly you past 35 weeks? Even if you do get a fit-to-fly certificate by twisting a doc's arm and blague your way on, they certainly won't let you come back at 37 weeks! FYI, a fit-to-fly cert doesn't guarantee you getting on the flight - the attendants will make the decisions at the boarding gate. Deary me! Missed out on doing a minor point of homework, methinks. But apart from that, yes, you are entitled to give birth under the NHS in the UK because you fulfil the criteria.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 January 2011 - 22:07
Ok so i have a permanent UK address, and i am registered at the GP (although i didnt have to c him except for the registration), and i've been out of the UK since September 2010. I am going for a vacation at 36 weeks for one week. Say i had to deliver there as an emergency, does anyone have an idea if i will be entitled for NHS treatment? can i just pop at the hospital for giving birth? lol
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 20 January 2011 - 09:40
Thanks DubaiCat! Yes if you don't mind asking your friend for the latest info then that would be great. I wasn't thinking of not paying for it it is just my experience when asking an NHS GP to do something 'for money' has led to blank faces and lots of receptionists running around wondering what to do with me or just flat out refusing to embark on helping me. And that was just for immunisations! If you want to pay for it then I'd suggest contacting the GP clinic closest to where you'll be staying as a first step. I eventually managed to pay for an appointment when I was home so hopefully they'll know what to do! I'll email my friend now and ask what she's had to do to get herself organised. ETA: I had the same experience asking my old GP clinic for immunisations. My first words were "I'd like to book a private appointment for vaccinations, please" and when the receptionist called me back (she had to ask the nurses about it) she said, "Well the nurses haven't got a clue what that vaccination is so they're not happy to give something they don't know anything about and besides, it would HAVE to be a PRIVATE appointment so there WOULD be a charge of thirty-five pounds." Needless to say I registered temporarily elsewhere! <em>edited by DubaiCat on 20/01/2011</em>
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 20 January 2011 - 00:06
If you are registered with a GP then no one will know you are not a resident. Not sure how you would get around your hospital check up's if you are living overseas.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 20 January 2011 - 00:01
Hi Chall, do you know much it costs to deliver privately in a nhs hospital? I'm due in August & planning to give birth in the UK. Whilst I have maternity cover here I'm not sure if it'll apply if I deliver overseas.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 January 2011 - 20:03
Start by contacting your local hospital and asking them what to do and where to go - mine were really helpful! It is worth a try!!!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 January 2011 - 19:56
Thanks DubaiCat! Yes if you don't mind asking your friend for the latest info then that would be great. I wasn't thinking of not paying for it it is just my experience when asking an NHS GP to do something 'for money' has led to blank faces and lots of receptionists running around wondering what to do with me or just flat out refusing to embark on helping me. And that was just for immunisations! This is maybe outdated info, but a poster on here (Nicola) contacted the NHS regarding maternity care and posted the reply: http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=68964
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 January 2011 - 19:51
I had my LO privately in an NHS hospital in the UK with very few problems. There was no private hospital in my area that did maternity care, so the option was available through my insurance to pay privately to use the local NHS hospital. So I registered privately with one of the obstetricians and they oversaw my care, all of which was paid for by the insurers - so all above board! Had the most amazing DR and amazing care. Was 110% satisfied!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 January 2011 - 19:49
Thanks DubaiCat! Yes if you don't mind asking your friend for the latest info then that would be great. I wasn't thinking of not paying for it it is just my experience when asking an NHS GP to do something 'for money' has led to blank faces and lots of receptionists running around wondering what to do with me or just flat out refusing to embark on helping me. And that was just for immunisations!
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 17 January 2011 - 19:04
To register temporarily with a GP surgery, all I did was call to make an appointment then fill in a form when I got there. There's a section on the form that asks for your regular GP so I put my doctor here and was clear I didn't live in the UK. I put Mum's address as the temporary address. I'm not sure what you would do if you didn't have a regular GP to put on the form. The first time I went - for me - I asked to pay when we were done and the practice manager told me he couldn't be bothered to do the paperwork, then when we went with DS I asked beforehand and they charged me as a private patient. Shall I ask my friend who's at home now waiting to have her baby? She'd probably have up-to-date info on what to do.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 January 2011 - 18:08
I guess I am concerned mostly about the NHS just saying "oooh you're not a resident or a tax payer so bog off". As I have had when I have tried to get immunisations done for my kids when home. Hello Kitty you had virtually not left so could just get in with your GP but I've been out for over two years. I wonder what the criteria is for registering temporarily with a GP. Thanks girls - any others who have gone through this? If you're not registered with any Dr and having issues getting seen, then it's a bit more problematic. A lot depends on whether you actually need to be non-resident for tax purposes or not. My situation was easier because, seeing as I have no need to avoid the tax-man in the UK (I'm not working over here), there is no need for me to officially be non-resident. If you want to reappear officially on the UK government's radar, you'll need to fill in the P87 form, which will ask you lots of daft things, including how many *days* you've spent in the UK in the last 5 years. To register with a Dr, you need a permanent address, but it could be rented accommodation or your parents, if you choose to stay with them (or a friend)... If you rent a place, it'd just be like you'd moved to the area. They may or may not contact your old GP in due course, but it should be fine. Of course, you needn't mention that it's temporary. I did tell anyone who was curious that my DH was in Dubai, so we travel there a lot, which was strictly speaking true at that point. It's a fine line, to be brutally honest. You need to feel comfortable pushing the system to the edge of its definition and playing your cards close to your chest - which some people don't like doing, and that's fine. Some people push it too far and take the mickey by not playing by the rules (the few that exist) and risk getting caught out. Play by the rules and you have nothing to feel guilty about. The system is there to be used. <em>edited by Hello.Kitty on 17/01/2011</em>
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 17 January 2011 - 17:47
There was a thread a wee while ago about getting NHS treatment as an expat. I think the answer was that you are not supposed to do so and that morally it is dubious. Here it is: www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=130770 <em>edited by dubai71 on 17/01/2011</em>
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 January 2011 - 17:33
I guess I am concerned mostly about the NHS just saying "oooh you're not a resident or a tax payer so bog off". As I have had when I have tried to get immunisations done for my kids when home. Hello Kitty you had virtually not left so could just get in with your GP but I've been out for over two years. I wonder what the criteria is for registering temporarily with a GP. Thanks girls - any others who have gone through this?
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 January 2011 - 16:24
I went back to the UK to give birth - for the same reasons as others, just not comfortable with the approach and lack of aftercare here. I had only been out of the UK for a week before we conceived and had decided by 16 weeks that we were going to have DS in the UK. I hadn't un-registered with my GP and had friends house-sitting our house, rather than renting it out, so in essence, I just came back from an extended holiday. I was completely clear with the midwives that I was going backwards and forwards between the UK and Dubai and therefore had 2 sets of notes, and they didn't bat an eyelid. He was a June baby, so again, I couldn't imagine anything worse than being stuck indoors 24/7 with a newborn, a 21 month old and no support network!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 17 January 2011 - 15:15
I'm going home as thats where I feel most comfortable Like you we have all singing all dancing insurance BUT I am not impressed at all with the standards of facilities or care here in Qatar some people wont or dont agree with it but this is what i feel more comfortable and relaxed doing and feel that should anything happen to me or the baby here they wouldnt be able to cope again this is just my experience ! a small example is before I went home for christmas i had a check up at the hosp in Qatar and told them i thought i had a urine infection they checked it and assured me their was nothing wrong 2 days later i have it checked in the UK and low and behold I had everything in my urine and a really bad infection !!!!!
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 17 January 2011 - 14:58
We looked into private maternity care in our area (North Somerset) and found the same thing - nothing. It was all in London. A friend of mine who lives in Kuwait has just gone home to have her baby [Disclaimer here: I don't necessarily agree with what she's doing'> and has just registered temporarily with her local GP. She's having the baby at the nearest hospital.
 
 

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