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Hello there

My wife is due to give birth in Feb next year, currently doing the ante-natal at the american hospital (3500dhms !!!). We were also considering having the birth there (12000dhms for normal birth!!!).

However one of our friends (a UK nurse) had her birth at the Al Wasl hospital. I did not even know you could do this.

Anyway she stated it was fine and grand, all very proffessional. We are thinking about this as alternative to the american hospital because, it will be much cheaper and more importantly if there is any complications with the birth they take mum and baby to the Al Wasl hospital anyway.

Is there anybody else who has considered option? What was your experience?

Any useful commenets would help?

Thanks

I have visited Al Wasl Hospital on several occasions and always found it to be clean, the staff friendly and professional, and people that I know that have undergone treatment were all fine.

It's quite a popular choice, especially if you don't have money or insurance to cover American or Welcare hospitals.

Hi!

I just had my second baby at the American Hospital and it was brilliant. I was a little bit disappointed at the rooms, as everyone had told me it was like a 5 star hotel (more like a 3 star!) But the service was fantastic, the nurses were very attentive and kind and the food was lovely (yes, hospital food that actually tastes good!)

I didn't have insurance, or rather my insurance did not cover maternity as I was already 4 months pregnant when I arrived to Dubai, so it did hurt a lot to pay all that money, especially since I had a c-section. I think a normal delivery is a lot cheaper than what you quoted. But as you never know what is going to happen, you have to anticipate the worst case scenario (c-section). The bill is just full of "consumables" and things you just don't know whether you actually had them or not, but quite hard to argue, so be ready to be ripped off!

About `Al Wasl, I have met only a couple of ladies who had their babies there and they were both happy about it. However, you have to be aware of these few points:

1. No FRILLS, so it will be up to you and your wife to know if this suits you.

2. LESS CONTROL: Another important thing to consider is that you won't be able to call the shots there, meaning, I've heard it's not easy to get an epidural as it's at their discretion. Let alone having an elective cesarean...

3. PRIVATE ROOMS: Also, I don't think you can get private rooms in Al Wasl (or are tough to get at least) so you might end up sharing with different women.


4. LANGUAGE: Regarding the language barrier (assuming you don't speak Arabic), although English apparently is widely spoken, you have no guarantees.

5. COST: although as a resident you are entitled to have your baby there, it's not completely free for foreigners and I have heard that it's not that much cheaper than a private hospital. Therefore maybe not worth it after all if the main reason was saving money.

6. EMERGENCIES: About the baby and mother being taken there if there is an emergency, I was given the same information but I was told when I visited the American Hospital that that was before, now they do have an ICU unit for babies. I am not 100% sure that they deal with all the cases there, there might be some more complicated ones that still need to go to Al Wasl, but I am especulating there. In fact, I have just remembered, for babies born prematurely, they only won't deal with them if they were below I think 28 weeks (of the top of my head, maybe more or less) but only because it was generally too expensive to keep them in ICU for months, so that's why they are sent to Al Wasl.

7. ANTENATAL CARE: I am not sure whether you have to have your prenatal care there (I'd assume you would) but read on a website one that you have to wiat for hours before being seen by a doctor. Something to consider...

So, my advice is that you have to get your priorities straight, the main issue not necessarily being the medical quality (I think they are both good) but rather the level of comfort and control that you want/need. This was my second baby and for me it was vital to hav some control and comfort (maybe not in that same orther!) but that's me. Of course that financially was hard, but for me it was worth every penny. I would advice you to go and have a look at Al Wasl (I've never been there, so no idea what it's like) you might be suprised.


I hope this has been useful. If you have any more queries just let me know.

Good luck and all the best

J

I have heard a few moms tell me that Al Wasl was good, but in the first stages of labour you are in a room with 4 other women. That means you don't get much rest between contractions because you have 4 others there labouring in the same room. I don't know much about American Hospital.

Have you considered International Modern Hospital? It is a new hospital. I think it is cheaper than the American Hospital and very good quality. http://www.imh.ae

When I was preggy I called Al Wasl Hospital to check the costs, they have the ff package before:

Normal Delivery will cost minimum of 2500 Dhs only (after 24 hrs of giving birth, you will be sent home)

CS Delivery will cost minimum of 5000 Dhs( You will be discharged after 48 hours of your delivery)

- First visit you will be charged with 250 Dhs for registration.
- Per pre-natal visit/check up cost will be 100 Dhs.

You might want to ring them again first...

I need more information about al wasl hospital. from what I see most of your posts are old, so I expect you have been through more experiences there. Please tell me how did it go. Thanks

no personal experience, but one of our friends gave birth there, the service was great and the total costs including pre-natal checks was about AED5k (normal birth),

they sell package plans they're your best bet for any hospital in Dubai from what I've reserched. International Modern will be close to 10k (checks and birth) and American 18ish(checks and birth).