missrabbit

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post as i have been looking online for information on this all week and thought maybe someone on here could help me!

I have just found out i am about 9 weeks pregnant. I am really unfamiliar with the way things work in Spain to do with this and this is my first so super scary and daunting anyway.

Here is my situation: Me & my husband have been living in Spain for 5 years. We are both British citizens. My husband is currently unemployed and I am autonamo and have been for almost 3 years paying taxes and social security (the social security i have never needed so not registered at any doctors or anything so advise on that will help too - my nearest medical center is Torremolinos). I can not really afford private medical care either. I have done the pregnancy tests 8all positive and am definitely pregnant as i have terrible morning sickness) but not seen a doctor yet. What do i do now???? Any help from now to the birth will help me as i am totally in the dark as to what to do next and along the way, what i am entitled to, etc.

Thanks!

cricketman

Congratulations!

The good news is that you will be 100% covered by the state system. Do you have an Andalucian health card? If not, then you need to go to your nearest social security office to ask for it. Then you should be able to register at your nearest health centre.

Once you have a health centre assigned to you, then book an appointment with the general doctor, they will then give you a pregnancy book which keeps a record of all the checks, scans and tests you need - and is where all appointments will be written. You will then have to visit a combination of your assigned hospital and health clinic during the pregnancy, each appointment will be written in your health book

Just a note, that if you do not speak good Spanish then this will be very tricky. Otherwise it is easy. My wife gave birth in the CDS Hospital 2 years ago and we were very happy with the treatment at all stages of the pregnancy and birth. We even went to state run ante-natal classes at the clinic in Benalmadena, the midwife was great and very much a modern pro-breast is best type midwife

missrabbit

Thanks Cricketman! Phew, you have just lifted alot of the worry off me! I don´t speak very good Spanish but my husband grew up in a Spanish speaking country so is fluent. I will go see about the health card and get the ball rolling this weekend! That is great to know about the classes too!

Rosemary

As Concierge for the Spanish section of BE I would like to say hello and welcome.

BE is a very large expat website, so if you have problems finding your way around we have concierges who will try to direct you. The moderators for the Spanish forums are Mitzyboy and Fred James, moderators are there to ensure that the site runs smoothly within the rules of BE. Problems and complaints should always be addressed to a moderador who will look into the matter and deal with it efficiently and fairly. Our members who post in the Spain Forums are friendly and helpful with a wealth of knowledge of the issues of living in Spain. At the top of the page you will find a quirkily named thread called Free Beer which is full of important and useful information. Hope you enjoy your time participating in the forums.

Congratulations.

Please let me know if you need any further help.

Rosemary

missrabbit

Thanks Rosemary!

Domino

Hi, problems, problems
hopefully I can help you a little bit on this.
first of all you are in Andalucia, which appears to have excellent medical facilities.
as others are saying you will have to register with a local doctor - others living near you may be able to help with this
but most importantly you can start getting in touch with the right people by contacting the Salud Response Line
902 505 060
this is a 24/7/365 number but it isn't an emergency Yet
If you start the conversation with "Hablo Englese por favor" they will put you on hold for a very short while and connect you into a 3 way call with an English speaker who will act as translator.
Additionally in my experience with this number it is all women so both you and they will be able to relate to the situation and you will get advice on where to go and who to see.
They can make appointments for you at a local doctors whilst you are on the phone.

Once you have got your INSS number and a doctor sorted (if you have neither at the moment) then you will be ablve to make appointments direct on
https://ws003.juntadeandalucia.es/pl...nea_citamedico

later on you will get a Tarjeta Sanitaria, this can work like a dream, the doctor slips it into his computer, downloads your medication, you take the card to the Farmacia and they download the prescription. Works a dream, if only the UK had a system like this.

HTH

sunnysenorita

Hi, Just to put your mind at rest, both of my girls were born in Malaga. Although I cannot compare the treatment to that of the UK, I can honestly say I was more than happy with the treatment I got.

Several of my friends had their babies at the Costa Del Sol hospital and were very happy with the way they were looked after.

Good Luck! x

Fred James

I see your Spanish is coming on in leaps and bounds.

"¿Habla Inglés por favor?" might work better - leaving out the "por favor" would be a good idea too.

Domino

so there is nothing else wrong with the rest of the information provided in my mother tongue !!

and thank you for the lesson in Spanish, when I have been in S pain as long as you perhaps it will have improved.
perhaps a smilie or two would be sensible

missrabbit

Thanks for all the great advice! I am going to go to the medical clinic tonight armed with photocopies of every form of identification i have!

What weeks do you get given a scan? I am at 9 weeks, would i have one when i first see a doctor (for them to confirm i am pregnant?) or would i have to wait until the 12 week one? Then is it just the 20 week one after that?

Also, someone mentioned to me that working mums in spain get given a grant when they have a baby, does anyone know about this and if so would i be eligible for this and what would i have to do?

Thanks!

cricketman

The scans are at 12 weeks and 20 weeks. There is no scan or tests to determine that you are pregnant

There is no "cheque bebe" grant anymore, they got rid of that 2 years ago

If you are autonomo then you will qualify for 4 months maternity leave where they will pay you around 850 euros per month. And then you will get 100 euros per month until your child as 3 (as long as you keep working and paying social security). If you stop working and/or sign off from the autonomo register then you will not qualify for any help

missrabbit

Thanks again Cricketman!

What would i have to do to go on maternity leave? Do i just tell my accountant and they sort it out or do i have to fill any forms out, etc?

cricketman

Yes you need to fill some forms in. I think my wife got them from the social securty office. Up to you whether you want your gestor to sort it out

MarbsandCarbs

Hi,

I hope its all going well!

Your thread caught my eye as I'm autonomo and we're trying for a baby at the moment..

I read somewhere recently that we could get 2 years let off from the social security payments.....I don't know about you but it would be a huge relief not to worry about that payment for a while!

I'm going to try to find more info!

cricketman

That advice is out of date I'm afraid.

Rajoy scrapped that help about 1 year ago. My wife was benefiting from it, but suddenly payments started coming out of her account again, she asked the social security office why, and they said all help with social security payments has been scrapped as part of the austerity measures.