Pregnant - not married | ExpatWoman.com
 

Pregnant - not married

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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 08 March 2011 - 11:25

Am a reasonably regular poster on EW, but had to set-up a new account for this. I can see this post getting lots of hits!!

Am divorced with kids and with my OH who I am very much in love with. We both know we have found our ONE in each other.

I am pregnant, 4 weeks Not a teenager! and can't believe this has happened.

Any ideas that may help stimulate my shocked brain will help.

Situation: OH has recently lost his job and is going back to his home country

We both have known that we would get married someday and completely in love with each other.

I am working, but one of unsaid terms of employment was 'No Pregnancy' which I didn't bother about as I had no intention of having any more kids.

My partner is from a different country as me.

Issues:

I will never have an abortion. No religious reasons, but my own values
We had absolutely no intention of having kids, we have enough between us two, but

Maybe we could get married, but I don't know how I feel about getting married because of a pregnancy. We would have done it eventually anyway, but it takes away my dream of getting married when we want to get married. We were to get married when he secures a job.

Looked at our options to get married and the embassy marriage will require at least 2.5 months. As we are from different countries, flying to either of our country to get married also requires at least 2 months of paper work/notice etc. Not sure about a Church marriage here, but as I was married in a church earlier I guess that's not an option. Apart from the Catholic Church is there any other Churches here who will marry a previously married and divorced couple?

Please please don't be harsh and judgemental about why I am pregnant in the first place - we were super careful and to add to it OH has a very low sperm count and been told he is bordering on infertile! - its almost as if this is a meant to be.

Excuse the incoherent message, its not sunk in yet.
edited to remove some personal information
<em>edited by Chocoa on 09/03/2011</em>

1996
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 March 2011 - 23:17
Sorry to hear of your loss-whatever the circumstances it is very sad. Exciting news about your engagement though-congratulations-you have had a roller coaster ride of late.
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 31 March 2011 - 23:07
Chocoa please accept my condolences on your loss. While some may say that an ectopic is not a baby many of us understand that a mothers love commences the moment we find out we are pregnant. And also congratulations on your engagement. I wish you and your fiancee much love and precious happy memories. x
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 31 March 2011 - 23:00
Some update. Lost our baby to an ectopic. Strange that it hurt so much even though, the pregnancy was not planned and we had not wanted any more kids. Its been more than a fortnight now and am recovering. Didn't have any legal issues at the hospital. We both realised the 'no more kids' decision is possibly flexible - we both are upset at the loss and the thought of what could have been. Believe there was a reason for this, perhaps for us to realise that life is short and there's no point in waiting for a a right time to get married, when we feel so sure about each other. OH has formally proposed with a lovely ring and we'll soon be planning our wedding. Soppy as it is can I just say, I love him.
504
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EW GURU
Latest post on 09 March 2011 - 10:48
Sandfly: yes, you're right: it happens all the time and in most cases with no problems. I also know some 'successful' case :) . However, you never know when bad luck knocks on the door and there have been cases where the bad luck struck. Plus, as KKS pointed other things can happen should Chocoa be struck by bad luck and she and her children will then be in big trouble. I guess the question is whether the risk is worth or not, especially when you have children and they still depend on you. I've also heard that some non-Muslim couples get married in Dubai courts just to be 'legal' here (with no 'consequences' in their cuntries - where they keep single) several times but am not sure this can be done as I do not know any case personally. I would get married ASAP and try to have the baby outside but that is me :) . I even know a couple who got through a problem like this by alledging that by the time the baby was conceived they were outside the country (which was true and they could proove) and, so, they did not have pre-marital s** IN the UAE. Then again, it's all about luck and choices. Good luck, Chocoa. Hope everything ends well. I would definitely get married quickly; all sorts of things could go wrong (eg with the pregnancy itself) that would bring you to the attention of the authorities. However having got married, I really don't think there is anything to worry about in terms of having the baby here. Getting married in Dubai courts would not be somehow 'invalid' elsewhere; your country may not know about it, but that doesn't make it invalid - if your spouse chose to make a claim at a later stage you would not be able to claim it was only a Dubai marriage or whatever.
131
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 March 2011 - 10:39
Just to update all the lovely ladies on here, we are following the Christ Church Jebel Ali route and hopefully all will be accepted and okay. If not, we will follow the one of our home country routes. I will post on here so others can use the information. Again thank you all for the care shown and help. Chocoa, I would be more careful to give all your info out in public forum, [i'>here[/i'>[b'>[/b'>. You said already enough to be identified at that church. Thanks AriVW, its funny how we sometimes can see it when others do it and not ourselves! I have in 3 different scenarios asked posters to delete information. Done it myself though! Maybe I'll delete all posts that are not useful to others. Is there something I don't understand, why is it an issue if the church knows? I will be telling them all that's on here anyway. i didn't mean church people. ;)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 March 2011 - 10:39
Sandfly: yes, you're right: it happens all the time and in most cases with no problems. I also know some 'successful' case :) . However, you never know when bad luck knocks on the door and there have been cases where the bad luck struck. Plus, as KKS pointed other things can happen should Chocoa be struck by bad luck and she and her children will then be in big trouble. I guess the question is whether the risk is worth or not, especially when you have children and they still depend on you. I've also heard that some non-Muslim couples get married in Dubai courts just to be 'legal' here (with no 'consequences' in their cuntries - where they keep single) several times but am not sure this can be done as I do not know any case personally. I would get married ASAP and try to have the baby outside but that is me :) . I even know a couple who got through a problem like this by alledging that by the time the baby was conceived they were outside the country (which was true and they could proove) and, so, they did not have pre-marital s** IN the UAE. Then again, it's all about luck and choices. Good luck, Chocoa. Hope everything ends well.
25
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 March 2011 - 10:37
Just to update all the lovely ladies on here, we are following the Christ Church Jebel Ali route and hopefully all will be accepted and okay. If not, we will follow the one of our home country routes. I will post on here so others can use the information. Again thank you all for the care shown and help. Chocoa, I would be more careful to give all your info out in public forum, [i'>here[/i'>[b'>[/b'>. You said already enough to be identified at that church. Thanks AriVW, its funny how we sometimes can see it when others do it and not ourselves! I have in 3 different scenarios asked posters to delete information. Done it myself though! Maybe I'll delete all posts that are not useful to others. Is there something I don't understand, why is it an issue if the church knows? I will be telling them all that's on here anyway.
131
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 March 2011 - 10:25
Just to update all the lovely ladies on here, we are following the Christ Church Jebel Ali route and hopefully all will be accepted and okay. If not, we will follow the one of our home country routes. I will post on here so others can use the information. Again thank you all for the care shown and help. Chocoa, I would be more careful to give all your info out in public forum, [i'>here[/i'>[b'>[/b'>. You said already enough to be identified at that church.
25
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 March 2011 - 10:04
Just to update all the lovely ladies on here, we are following the Christ Church Jebel Ali route and hopefully all will be accepted and okay. If not, we will follow the one of our home country routes. I will post on here so others can use the information. Again thank you all for the care shown and help.
25
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 March 2011 - 09:57
Regarding sharia marriage, I have read on another forum about non muslin couple marrying in sharia court just so they can legally live together but not necessarily register it with their embassy. Don't know if it works or not but just a thought Please remember that just because you read something on a forum, or even a government webpage does not make it accurate information in this country. Yes KKS I am aware and posted clarification on this on ths thread itself. Am Christian and OH is Christian. Someone asked if I could marry in Shariah court and I said DH will have to be a muslim then. This is not true at all.. KKS I am not sure what part of it has been misunderstood. If OH is muslim, he can marry in the Shariah court here. A muslim man can marry a muslim woman, jew or Christian woman in the Shariah court General information for anyone else As for dates of delivery/wedding dates - this has been posted here several times and in general its okay, but definitely okay if you deliver in a private hospital and have married say befroe 8th week of pregnancy. deliveres often happen between 36 weeks to 42 weeks so there's lee way there. I know of at least 6 such cases, including one a cousin who married in her 19th week who had no issues. Of course she stayed out of the country till 3 weeks before the wedding in Dubai, to reduce risk. I can only speak from experience and as we know there are times were people get unlucky. <em>edited by Chocoa on 09/03/2011</em>
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EW GURU
Latest post on 09 March 2011 - 06:52
I'd def have the baby outside the country. In some cases in the hospital they have made their 'accounts' by comparing date of birth and wedding date and realised something did not happen in the supposed-sequence-to-happen-here and they got into serious trouble. So, be careful and don't assume that just by getting married you are on the safe side. Marydots, that is very odd, as this happens aaaaaall the time; provided that you marry fairly quickly once you discover the pregnancy, there are no 'serious consequences' IME
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 March 2011 - 02:50
[i'>Am Christian and OH is Christian. Someone asked if I could marry in Shariah court and I said DH will have to be a muslim then.[/i'> This is not true at all. <em>edited by KKS on 09/03/2011</em>
369
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 March 2011 - 02:48
Regarding sharia marriage, I have read on another forum about non muslin couple marrying in sharia court just so they can legally live together but not necessarily register it with their embassy. Don't know if it works or not but just a thought Please remember that just because you read something on a forum, or even a government webpage does not make it accurate information in this country.
369
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 March 2011 - 02:45
My advice is leave the country asap. What happens if you are in a minor car accident and get taken to hospital? You will be found to be pregnant and will go to jail for premaritial ***. This is not a perhaps situation, it has happened to a staff member of my husbands. What happens if you have a miscarriage? Same as above. It is just too big a risk. If you want to email me at [email protected] I can give you more examples that we have personally dealt with. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that you need to leave the country last week.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 March 2011 - 02:24
I'd def have the baby outside the country. In some cases in the hospital they have made their 'accounts' by comparing date of birth and wedding date and realised something did not happen in the supposed-sequence-to-happen-here and they got into serious trouble. So, be careful and don't assume that just by getting married you are on the safe side.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 08 March 2011 - 22:25
Congratulations! If you are a divorcee, catholic church will do nothing for you, but other churches may help. Since I am catholic, I have no knowledge about other churches. As I understood, you are still married in this country to your ex-husband... if you stretch the law you are married and pregnant, nothing wrong with that. I know of people flying to Cyprus or Seychelles to get married, as they were from the different countries, religions, etc. Good luck!
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 08 March 2011 - 20:06
This thread turns a new direction every 5 posts. :\: I agree with you there, Gleek! ( Don't faint :) )
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 08 March 2011 - 18:54
For sake of anyone else looking for info reading this thread. I'll clarify that is incorrect. Shariah marriage is only for Muslims or a Muslim man and a Christian/Jew woman.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 08 March 2011 - 18:30
This thread turns a new direction every 5 posts. :\: After the first 15 or so very useful posts that gave me an option I didn't know existed and even google didn't come up with.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 08 March 2011 - 18:28
Not quite sure what you mean by this but I would look at all options, if you are saying you are still legally married to someone else I can't see the church will touch it with a barge pole.
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 08 March 2011 - 16:33
www.christchurchjebelali.com has their contacts - they are Anglican which is a whole lot more than Church of England so makes no difference if you are English or not. They marry divorcees at their discretion dependent on individual cases. both my dh and i were divorcees when we approach this church for our nuptials. they required copies of our final divorce decrees, birth certificates, proof of baptism and that was it. we attended the marriage "classes" which consisted of us, 8 or 9 other "western" couples (uk, sa, aus etc) and 2 old men with their foreign lovelies. we were put into groups to do various exercises on money, in-laws, family, kids, etc and one of these ladies could barely speak english. the set-up was SO obvious. a bigger reason to not grant a marriage than being divorced, if you know what i mean ...
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 08 March 2011 - 16:31
All so complicated, hope you the best of luck and you get everything sorted pronto!! Thanks, but the fact is that I had checked with both our embassies mentioned time frames and other detials here and was working on it, you would have known that if you read the post before making harsh comments. I had read all the posts!!! :) If you OH is british cant you go back to the UK and have a registrar wedding. I know you have children and a court battle, but where theres a will theres a way.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 08 March 2011 - 16:28
All so complicated, hope you the best of luck and you get everything sorted pronto!! Thanks, but the fact is that I had checked with both our embassies mentioned time frames and other detials here and was working on it, you would have known that if you read the post before making harsh comments. Thanks everyone else for all your suggestions, its been of great help, will sign out for today and update tomorrow. X <em>edited by Chocoa on 08/03/2011</em>
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 08 March 2011 - 16:23
If I was in such a dilemma I would find the quickest and easiest solution and get the job done!!!!!!!!! and not be on a forum wasting precious time. edited by salsB on 08/03/2011 SalsB you had to make sure there's a rude poster here is it?? Not answerable to you but - I got good ideas here. Am in the office, so can't run around! DH is working on the Christ Church Jebel Ali option at the moment. Got a meeting with closest couple of friends tonight to work on this. Surely not wasting time, found out yest afternoon - what else do you want me to do?!? PS - Thanks AriVW edited by Chocoa on 08/03/2011 Im not a rude poster, im saying as it is!!!!!!!! ring your embassy and ask them the quickest way, bare in mind a live forum may not always know the correct answer to your questions anyway. Visited and rang embassies first thing and they could only advise their procedure, looking here for other options. Remember we are diff nationalities! You'll know if you read the full post. This was done early today and all time frames worked out, mentioned below Am Christian and OH is Christian. Someone asked if I could marry in Shariah court and I said DH will have to be a muslim then. Custody of my kids - that's a long story and I am aware of the full legal situation and in close contact with my lawyer on current situation. How I got pregnant? Wish one of you could answer that!!! Don't know! I have always been superfertile, won't go into details of past 3 conceptions. Two contraception methods used at the same time, one natural (dates/charting) and the other one artificial non-reusable! To add to it I mentioned OH's fertility issues. I swear I haven't been playing around! Thankfully, I didn't have to tell OH that. I must say even though OH didn't question I wondered all sorts of things like being raped another sedation (don't know when that could have happened though, I don't even go clubbing!). God some of the things we ladies can come up with. All so complicated, hope you the best of luck and you get everything sorted pronto!!
 
 

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