Giving birth abroad and getting funding for it....

jedeye

I read an article in the newspaper recently about financial assistance from the British government for people who wish to give birth somewhere else in the EU. Basically they are paying you to be taken of their books I suppose.

Does anyone have any further information on how you apply for this funding?

We are going to Spain to give birth to our baby (due 01.01.08).

Thanks!

jedeye

vixarooni

cor how interesting!

Is this some sort of sick way of getting people to give birth abroad to A, not have as much pressure on the NHS and B, to slow down our birth rates?

Have a look on the governments website or google search it. I dunno how you apply for funding really

themaccas

I think you'll find that all emergency treatment (and giving birth includes that) is free to all EU nationals whereever they are in the EU. Certainly other EU nationals including all the newer ones from Poland, Lithuania etc get all their antenatal/birth/postnatal care free on the NHS when they are living over here. I would expect it is all reciprocated.

The NHS is under more pressure than ever to cope with all the recent influx of immigrants. That's just how it is.

jane130

from what I read in the local press some weeks ago , if you are from an eu country living here the goverment will pay for you to go home to have your baby if you want to . I don't know how you would go about arranging it though.

jedeye

Thanks for all your replies. Jane130 is correct - I'm talking about assistance to fly, stay and come back costs, not the medical ones!

It really must be cheaper for the government. I'm collating what I've found at the moment. I'll post it when I finish it. Bascially you have to talk to your doctor, write a letter to some Health dept and see what you get.

jedeye

Yorkshire-Lady_3

Oh, I think I might get pregnant, then apply for a free holiday. Now, where would I like to go?!
Unless you have the language, I can't think of anything much worse than giving birth in a strange country away from all my family.
Aren't you advised NOT to fly after 32 weeks? Which airline would be happy to fly all these pregnant ladies about? Insurance companies wouldnt cover you either.

What a weird thought!

us,thecat&thedebt

does sound strange but each to their own...

id rather be near family anf friends and def would not want to fly so late in pregnancy

Jo_R_2

Can I be really nosey and ask why yr going abroad to give birth? I'm very curious!

I planned a home birth with my second after having my first in hospital. Home seemed to me to be the best place to birth my baby, to do with the hormones released during labour, I didn't need none of that pesky adrenaline slowing down my labour, bring on my natural oxytocin say I!!! Women release adrenaline during labour if they are in fear, or there are strange people round them who they feel uncomfortable with, etc, etc and it stops the feelgood hormones relaxing you and moving labour, making it more painful, there's no way I could go somewhere else and give birth, it would freak me out!

Are you going to stay with relatives, family or friends maybe I'm guessing?

asea

Jo_R wrote: »

Can I be really nosey and ask why yr going abroad to give birth? I'm very curious!

I planned a home birth with my second after having my first in hospital. Home seemed to me to be the best place to birth my baby, to do with the hormones released during labour, I didn't need none of that pesky adrenaline slowing down my labour, bring on my natural oxytocin say I!!! Women release adrenaline during labour if they are in fear, or there are strange people round them who they feel uncomfortable with, etc, etc and it stops the feelgood hormones relaxing you and moving labour, making it more painful, there's no way I could go somewhere else and give birth, it would freak me out!

Are you going to stay with relatives, family or friends maybe I'm guessing?

no, a hotel no doubt

Yorkshire-Lady_3

Just been thinking since my last post........heaven forbid anything goes wrong, but if it did, and baby was in SCBU, surely you'd want your friends and family around you? Are the government supposed to fly them out to support you, or just pay for your extended stay?
I don't mean to come across as awkward, but this sounds as if you've seen £ signs and not really thought it through.

dmg24

More information here.

If you went to Spain to have a baby, you would be expected to pay for your own flights, and to stay in a publicly funded hospital whilst you were there. If you needed additional accommodation (which would be required to fulfil the requirements for air travel), you would need to pay for that yourself.