Should I have a baby in Colombia or return to my home country?
Summary: There is no right or wrong answer to this question. If you are considering giving birth in Colombia, do your research (the same research you would probably do in your home country when choosing a doctor and hospital). One expat mom shares her experience have a premature baby who was in the NICU for a month in Colombia.
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. If you are considering giving birth in Colombia, do your research (the same research you would probably do in your home country when choosing a doctor and hospital). Look at hospitals, meet with doctors, understand health insurance coverage and consider the what if's:
- What if my baby is born very premature? Am I comfortable with the medical care available locally? Is there a NICU in my city?
- What if my baby has a serious medical issue and needs highly specialized care or surgery?
- What if I have a complicated birth? Am I comfortable with the care I would receive?
- Am I or my baby more at risk of medical emergency or life-long issues if I stay in Colombia to have my baby?
"Our son was in the NICU for a month. The staff was great, but it's not like a NICU in the States - there are no armchairs, and you can't just hold the baby whenever you want. I didn't get to hold my son until he was 8-days-old. They don't allow wheelchairs in, so if you can't walk, you can't go see the baby (I couldn't walk until day three). Everyone has to leave when they are checking in a new baby or if they are doing procedures, so it's really unpredictable whether you'll actually get to spend time with the baby. Some days we were there for four or five hours but only got to see the baby for 30 minutes or so. If you have a high-risk pregnancy, I would recomment returning to the States. The NICU staff at FSF are great, but if our son had been born much earlier, he would have needed to medevac to the States, where the equipment and medical technology are better. They were fine for his condition, but the NICU chief told us that if the babies are smaller than two pounds, it's more difficult for them, whereas in the States one-pound babies often do just fine," advised the mom who had a baby in Bogota, Colombia
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About the Author
Betsy Burlingame is the Founder and President of Expat Exchange and is one of the Founders of Digital Nomad Exchange. She launched Expat Exchange in 1997 as her Master's thesis project at NYU. Prior to Expat Exchange, Betsy worked at AT&T in International and Mass Market Marketing. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a BA in International Business and German.
Some of Betsy's articles include 12 Best Places to Live in Portugal, 7 Best Places to Live in Panama and 12 Things to Know Before Moving to the Dominican Republic. Betsy loves to travel and spend time with her family. Connect with Betsy on LinkedIn.
Additional Information:
- Colombia Guide
- Healthcare & Health Insurance in Colombia
- Members Talk about Healthcare & Health Insurance in Colombia
- Best Places to Live in Colombia
- Real Estate in Colombia
- Guide to Real Estate in Colombia
- Pros & Cons of Living in Colombia
- Cost of Living in Colombia
- Homeschooling in Colombia
- How to Enroll Your Children in School in Colombia
- Educational System in Colombia
- 10 Things to Know Before Moving to Colombia
- 2024 Guide to Living in Colombia
- Pros and Cons of Living in Colombia 2024
- 2024 Guide to Moving to Colombia