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Need advice about pregnancy

YorkshirePud40863

190

Posts

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Latest post on 12 September 2011 - 20:06

Hi Everyone,

I'm in need of some urgent advice. I have just found out I am pregnant (estimating about 6 weeks) and really really happy about it. However, we are with BUPA and as I am a new member they wont pay anything until I have been with them for 10 months which means I wont have andthing covered until December. Has anyone else had this situation?

What appointments will I be scheduled for in the for in the first 4 months of pregnancy and does anyone know how much each of these cost if being paid out of your own pocket?

And also, where do I start? How do I go about getting a Dr or a hospital. I am totally in the dark about everything to do with being pregnant in Dubai.

TIA

BabyNumber247667

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 13 September 2011 - 20:13

It's entirely up to you whether you go to a community-based clinic or straight to a hospital ob-gyn. Some of the more popular hospital-based ones are booked up a while in advance, though, so it might be an idea to get yourself in with a community-based doctor to keep you going and make an appointment now for as soon as you can get in with a hospital doc. Unless, of course, you like a community-based doc who can deliver at one of the hospitals and then you're sorted :). It is rather different to the UK, isn't it? We just spent the summer at home and were there for a while, so I had to use my local GP surgery and the maternity unit at the hospital. I felt quite weird in there! It is really different! I went to see a Dr at a clinic today who is linked to the hospital I want to deliver at so it's all good in that respect. The price though...oh my I didnt envisage how much it would be until our insurance kicks in!!

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DubaiCat

2937

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Latest post on 13 September 2011 - 12:54

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YorkshirePud40863

190

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Latest post on 12 September 2011 - 22:21

Were with BUPA too but they arent budging. Might probe them a little more.....

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redleaf

169

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Latest post on 12 September 2011 - 21:08

Hi YorkshirePud I was 16 weeks pregnant when we came to Dubai 4 years ago. BUPA was the insurance company that we were with. It was provided to us through my husband's employer. We explained our situation to them and they actually waived the 10 month waiting period. I am sure this is because my husband's employer was a big client for them. Did you take out insurance with them independently or is it through an employer? If the latter, than you may wan't to ask if it can be waived (and mention that you know this has been done for people in the past). We never had to pay anything up front. BUPA covered all costs related to my pregnancy. Congratulations by the way!

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JoannaS18387

225

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Latest post on 12 September 2011 - 21:00

not an easy decision - what about buying a package and putting it for re-imbursement in December? Not sure if this would work, though. I think some of the packags do not have NT scan included (and from what I recall it costs about Dhs1000), but I reckon it is worth checking with hospitals. Happy pregnancy!

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YorkshirePud40863

190

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Latest post on 12 September 2011 - 20:53

Thanks JoannaS. My worry is my first pregnancy ended in emergency c-sec as she was breech from 30 weeks and then waters broke 3 weeks early. As breech babies run in the family I have a chance that this one may be the same...which obviously bumps up the cost. Due to the insurance problem I have, I dont know if I get a package, if I will have to pay this myself, or whether I am better going pay as you go until the insurance kicks in. SO many decisions....

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JoannaS18387

225

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Latest post on 12 September 2011 - 20:50

You have a choice here - can be with a doctor in private clinic who delivers in hospital of your choice or you can stay with ob-gyn who works in the hospital. The most cost effective way is to buy a package from hospital - from what I remember Medcare had a good offer, but they admin side was a nightmare. I am currently with ob-gyn in one of the clinics and going to deliver in AH. I have had the same arrangements with DD 18 months ago and total bill for visits+delivery was around Dhs20K (no complications, natural delivery, no drugs, so a cheap option ;))

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YorkshirePud40863

190

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Latest post on 12 September 2011 - 20:45

Thanks for the reply. That doesnt sound too bad so hopefully it wont bankrupt me before the insurance kicks in!! So would I go to my normal surgery and ask about a Dr and make sure they are linked to a hospital to deliver ot, or go straight to the hospital? Its so different here, in the UK you get spoonfed the info but its all to sort out yourself here

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JoannaS18387

225

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Latest post on 12 September 2011 - 20:44

Congratulation YP, if you plan to deliver here it is worth to have it covered by insurance. I think there was a discussion recently on the subject and from what I recall ADNIC provide the cover http://www.expatwoman.com/forum/messages.aspx?TopicID=157949 It is expensive and even if you opt for Al Wasl (governemnt hospital) you still have to pay almost as much as in private hospital.

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DubaiCat

2937

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Latest post on 12 September 2011 - 20:40

Congratulations! I'm guessing from your name you're from the UK :) so take heart - over there, not much! I'm just reading from my NHS maternity notes from the summer and it says a booking appointment between 8 and 12 weeks, where they do a full blood count and a dating scan, and then the NT scan if you want it at 12-13 weeks. And that's it until the anomaly scan at 20 weeks, with maybe a midwife appointment at about 15-16 weeks if you're lucky. Cost-wise I'm afraid I can't help much :(. You choose your doctor and your hospital, basically. There are community-based doctors who have delivery privileges at various hospitals, or there are hospital-based doctors. You can go to a community-based clinic for check-ups and deliver with a hospital-based doctor if you so wish. There are plenty of recommendations on here or try asking friends who they'd recommend. Good luck!

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