Finding a Doctor Away from Home

If you will be traveling while you are pregnant, we strongly advise that you arrange before the trip for obstetrical care at your destination, should it become necessary.

There are several ways of going about this.  If you contact us directly, of course, we can often supply you with one of our many contacts around the world.  There are other web sites as well that provide lists of medical providers around the world.  One of these is the web site of the International Society of Travel Medicine (www.istm.org).  Another is the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (www.astmh.org).  Shoreland Medical Marketing (www.tripprep.com) is another good source, as is Travel Medicine, Inc. (www.travmed.com).

A very helpful organization is the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (www.iamat.org).   For a small membership fee, they will provide you with a list of qualified medical providers at your destination.  Also, all fees are agreed upon in advance, so you know what your care will cost.

If you will be living abroad, another good resource is the Expatriate Exchange (www.expatexchange.com).  By contacting other expatriates who live in the same area, you can often obtain valuable information about the available medical care.  Directly contacting these other expatriates, or contacting your embassy in the host country are two other good options.

Once you have found a good obstetrical provider, arranging for prenatal care and delivery as an expatriate are discussed in two other chapters.