Selecting your hospital and obstetrician is an important decision and involves both rational and emotional factors. You want to make sure you are comfortable with the people around you, when it is time, and that you have absolute trust in your delivery team. For expatriates in the UAE who may not have the benefit of family members to support them, the hospital and obstetrician you choose and the post natal support services which they can offer, may become even more critical.
So, how do you choose your hospital and obstetrician?
For experienced mums, this may be a relatively easy decision but if it is your first delivery or if you are a new resident, then word of mouth is important and personal recommendation can be one of the best ways of getting the selection process started. Your GP may also be able to recommend a hospital.
Your health insurance policy may steer you in the direction of particular hospitals and, of course, the financial aspect may be important to you, as you consider the different levels of personalized care and costs associated with private and public hospitals.
To help your selection, ask some of the following questions:
| Do you want to undergo pre-natal training before the delivery and does your prospective
hospital offer ante-natal programmes and classes? |
| Is the neo-natal unit fully equipped, with a team of experienced doctors and nurses,
with emergency back up for admissions during the night? |
| Will you be attached to your personal doctor or to a hospital team? |
| Is the hospital family friendly? Can family members attend the delivery and are there
flexible visiting hours for your other children to visit you? |
| What is the hospital policy towards caesarian section – are these performed under
general anesthetic or with a spinal epidural? |
| Will you be able to have an epidural at any point during your delivery? |
You may have a preference for a male/female obstetrician but whatever the gender, there needs to be a good personal chemistry between you. You should feel a strong sense of trust and confidence in your obstetrician and feel able to ask any question – even ones which may seem silly. Your physician should be patient and tolerant, and with enough time to help explain all that is involved. If your pregnancy is high risk, then you need to ensure that both the hospital and obstetrician are capable and experienced to manage this.
Always check the credentials of your physician – where the doctor studied and trained – and consider the professional experience and any other credentials they may have. If language is important, choose a physician who speaks your mother tongue or ensure the
hospital has a translator available.
Selecting your hospital and obstetrician is important – trust your feelings but always check the facts and do your homework.