11 Things to Know When Giving Birth as an Expat in Qatar

You don’t need to feel lost when giving birth in foreign soil. You just need to know the services available to you, as well as the laws in the country.

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Qatar offers top-notch healthcare facilities. You need to discuss arrangements with your doctor and family even before you give birth.

What you need to know when giving birth

 

Arrangements and Other considerations

If you are planning to give birth in Qatar, the first thing you must remember is that under the Qatari Law, only married women are allowed to give birth there.

With that important rule in mind, here are other things you need to know when you give birth:

  1. Upon confirming of pregnancy, mothers should go to the health center mentioned in their health card.
  2. The physician in the health center will confirm the pregnancy through a blood test.
  3. You will return to the health center for follow up check-ups.
  4. On the sixth month of pregnancy, you will be referred to a doctor at the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC).
  5. At HMC, you will undergo a routine Gestational Diabetes Test.
  6. Near the ninth month of pregnancy, you will be given a tentative date of delivery.
  7. Before heading to the hospital to give birth, have these documents ready:
  • Qatar ID
  • Health Card
  • Insurance Card
  • Passport
  • Marriage Certificate
  1. Some public hospitals do not allow husbands do accompany their wives in the hospital. But there are some that do. So make sure to check this with the hospital even before you give birth.
  2. After delivery, the baby is roomed-in with the mother. And in most cases, mother and baby are allowed to go home after two days, depending on their conditions.
  3. Although the procedure is free at HMC, you will have to pay some amount for the tests and room utilization.
  4. You will be given a logbook for recording the baby’s check-ups and other medical expenses. These will be free of charge for the baby’s first year of life.

Getting the Child’s Birth Certificate

Parents are responsible for registering their child’s birth at their respective embassy, and also to obtain a passport. It is best to inquire beforehand, so you will know which documents to bring. Reporting of birth should be done within 15 days of birth. Registering the birth and obtaining e-certificates should only take about an hour.

Meanwhile, applying for the baby’s residence permit should be accomplished within 60 days (or 2 months) after birth. The penalty for not securing a residence permit on time is QAR 10 per day.

Qatar also requires that babies be given the required vaccines. Parents can access the Ministry of Public Health site to know which vaccine should be given according to their child’s age.

While it can be a tedious process to prepare for the baby’s arrival, this can be managed if you know the steps you have to take.

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