# Antenatal and Obstetrics - Dubai



## Lamplighter (Jul 20, 2010)

Hi

I'm sure some members have experience of having children in Dubai, going through the antenatal checks and scans, the birth and postnatal care with local hospitals and clinics.

My wife and I are about to embark on it for the first time...  & 

Would be grateful for any relevant advice, especially including any recommendations for local obstetricians and/or antenatal classes/groups. We're in Marina area, so anywhere south of downtown would be preferable. Also we're with Bupa International (Oman Ins Group) premium medical insurance, and places accepting this insurance would also be good.

Many thanks!
Lamp


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## Lamplighter (Jul 20, 2010)

No one with any recommendations for maternity / childbirth care and/or antenatal classes?

Would be most grateful, as there is plenty of choice and no guarantee of quality. I'm somewhat sceptical of the medical profession here anyway given that many practitioners seem driven by maximising revenue from insurance, and I don't want my wife unneccessarily undergoing procedures and/or taking drugs.

TIA, Lamp


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

Congratulations 

I didn't really go for any antenatal classes, etc but we did use Medcare Hospital all through my pregnancy and birth. In fact, we continue to use them even now as my son's records and mine are with them. I would highly recommend Dr. Shiva.

Not sure if you are looking for a specifically Western Obs/Gyn because then Medcare might not be the best option. I think there are primarily Indian and Arabic doctors but the hospital and it's facilities are top of the range.

Good luck


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## alvsaj (May 23, 2012)

Lamplighter said:


> No one with any recommendations for maternity / childbirth care and/or antenatal classes?
> 
> Would be most grateful, as there is plenty of choice and no guarantee of quality. I'm somewhat sceptical of the medical profession here anyway given that many practitioners seem driven by maximising revenue from insurance, and I don't want my wife unneccessarily undergoing procedures and/or taking drugs.
> 
> TIA, Lamp


Congrats on the baby

I went to dr babita shetty in NMC hospital she is very good I had 2pregnancies both a bit critical hit she handled me well.but NMC wil be too far for u it on al nada
You can try Medcare the doc r good there


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## Lamplighter (Jul 20, 2010)

pamela0810 said:


> Congratulations
> 
> Good luck





alvsaj said:


> Congrats on the baby


Pamela, Alvsaj - thank you both very much! We had a drive around and like the look of Health Bay Polyclinic on Al Wasl Road (Umm Suqeim 2). We have an appointment with Dr Mukaddes Oksuz on Sunday.


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## claredoc (Aug 24, 2011)

I like healthbay....seen quite a few docs there and all very professional, including dr oksuz :0)


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## Lamplighter (Jul 20, 2010)

claredoc said:


> I like healthbay....seen quite a few docs there and all very professional, including dr oksuz :0)


Good to know, Claredoc, thanks!


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

claredoc said:


> I like healthbay....seen quite a few docs there and all very professional, including dr oksuz :0)


One of the better known Gynaes in Dubai, Dr. Koster, is no longer working there. I believe she is setting up her own practice in Healthcare City.


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## Lamplighter (Jul 20, 2010)

Thanks Bedou - spotted that Dr Koster wasn't on the Health Bay website, but will give some feedback after our appointment with Dr Oksuz. We met Ann today, a Health Bay midwife from the UK, who was very welcoming - we particularly liked that Health Bay offer more relaxed and general midwifery support in addition to the appointments with the Gynaes.


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

All the best to you and Mrs. Lamp. I will follow Dr. Koster. Been seeing her for so many years now, I don't want to change. My gripe with Healthbay is their poor administration. Their follow-up in terms of writing letters to confirm test results and, on occasion, actually even getting results out of them has been diabolical. The contact I have had with their nursing staff has been very good. If you ask me, it comes down to the individuals you come into contact with rather than the establishment if that makes sense.


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## Bud Light (May 23, 2012)

If you are from the UK I would suggest you have the baby there. The medical treatment and aftercare is far better and it is also free on the NHS. The treatment in the UAE varies considerably and you don't want to find out you have made the wrong choice if you have complications in labour. 
Good luck with the birth


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## alvsaj (May 23, 2012)

Bud Light said:


> If you are from the UK I would suggest you have the baby there. The medical treatment and aftercare is far better and it is also free on the NHS. The treatment in the UAE varies considerably and you don't want to find out you have made the wrong choice if you have complications in labour.
> Good luck with the birth


I second that it's better you have the baby in the uk n then come here.the care there is much better and after care of both mother n child.i didn't get any after care after having my babies and I seriously needed that.


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## Lamplighter (Jul 20, 2010)

Bud Light said:


> If you are from the UK I would suggest you have the baby there...





alvsaj said:


> I second that it's better you have the baby in the uk...


Thanks both, Bud and Alvsaj, however whatever the merits may be of having the birth in the UK, it isn't an option to us.

Whilst I am a UK citizen, my wife is not. When we previously lived in the UK, as my spouse she was a UK resident with unrestricted access to UK healthcare system. However since we moved to UAE, she had to relinquish her UK residency (_obviously, as I myself became a non-resident of the UK_), and consequently she now possesses only a long-term visitor visa for the UK.

The appeal of Health Bay is precisely that it appears to offer the ancillary support, pre- and post-birth. The midwives are all UK trained, qualified and experienced. The birth itself is in the City Hospital or American Hospital, attended by the Health Bay obs/gynae, so regarding any possible labour complications, qualified assistance is on-hand for mother and/or baby. We will know more on Sunday.

Thanks
Lamp


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## AndreaMarshall (Nov 22, 2010)

how did the appointment go? i see do josza there - hes their only male OB i think...german fellow. i adore him! i switched form medcare as even though i was working there, their rules have gotten a little extreme. do shiva is the best OB there, (and i unfortunately wasn't seeing her) but they overbook their staff and only give them about 5-10 minutes with each patient, leaving you feel rushed and treated more like a number than a human being. ive heard too many stories from the staff of inappropriate behavior from the staff, seen too many unsafe food practices in the cafeteria (Even experienced food poisioning as well as other staff members) and decided its not the best place for me to have a baby. When i checked out City Hospital i swear i heard that song "HALLELUJAH!!" in my head! It was like when Dorothy comes out of her drab black-and-white house and enters the techinicolor munchkin land. Same thing happened when going to health bay, and being seen within minutes of my arrival, having a wonderful laid back midwife appointment, then seeing Dr josza....it was just amazingly fantastic. Have heard a lot of doctors switching to City from American hospital, and have also heard from people who had deliveries in both that they prefer City over American....but still have heard good things recently about American hospital so i guess its your own preference. All the best! Am due in 2 weeks myself with my first baby and we couldnt afford to have me spend 2 months in the usa and have the baby since it will cost is about $15,000 to do that (but "Free" here since its covered under insurance). Cheers x


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