to think you don't go on holiday whilst having a high risk pregnancy and without adequate insurance

[Defenderwife]

Woman gives birth after food poisoning whilst on holiday in the Dominic Republic.

She had a cervical cerclage so knew she had a high risk pregnancy.

Her insurance didn't cover her entire pregnancy.

They are now stranded with a premature baby in a foreign country with no financial help and are relying on donations and GoFundMe.

I have made a donation but inside I feel almost angry. Why on earth have they let themselves be in this situation? That poor poor child.

Whilst I really hope everything is ok for them and their baby I have to say I don't have much sympathy with them.

I'm currently 22+6 and on holiday in the United States. I researched and researched travel insurance and chose Insure & Go as they insured up until 32 weeks. I spoke to the insurance company about what if I had any problems and they said if I have any issues or complications before I went to give them a call and they could update the policy.

I spoke to Virgin Atlantic regarding flying who said as long as I had an uncomplicated pregnancy they were happy. Midwife was happy as I was off to US

The key word is uncomplicated. Nothing wrong with flying at 29 weeks as long as you have the correct paperwork.

But she'd had a stitch!!!!! Therefore already a complication. To then pick an insurance company that won't be covering you past a certain date . She's already required a stitch so it shows you can't plan for anything.

The insurance company has done nothing wrong - the responsibility I am afraid lies with this couple

If you don't want to pay for travel insurance - don't go on holiday. It really is as simple as that

lish I assume you were at Roosevelt hospital. That is a hospital that accepts Medicare and was probably why you were sent in that direction. It's not a bad hospital. It just doesn't have the bells and whistles of other hospitals like NY Presbyterian or mount Sinai.

Heck I would be bloody thankful you were sent there because the other two hospitals I mentioned would have chased your outstanding bills once you had returned to the UK.

Well done, you, brummiegirl. Tell you what, come back when you've actually had a problem on holiday, and you can demonstrate how effective all those phone calls with insurers keen for your business have been. Otherwise, frankly, you're just another pregnant woman who's gone on holiday with no issues. Meh.

It's actually less about whether you develop complications and more about the 29 week cut off point. Surely anyone would make sure they got appropriate cover, its not difficult, plenty of information available and other stories been in the news to hammer home the point of check what you are covered for. They may never have thought it would come early and therefore took a risk in not getting cover for more than 29 weeks and unfortunately looks like it didn't pay off.

I'm amazed she was allowed to fly

I'm sure that if they can afford to fly to the Dominican Republic fur a hiday, someone can remortgage, take out a credit card, sell a car to fund their medical expenses.

That's what people do in situations such as this.

Again, Maryz, seriously? The comments from a stranger on the internet, who is unconnected with the couple concerned, are making you 'less sympathetic' to this specific situation?

What was your starting point?

Ubik my thoughts exactly....

Brummiegirl has at least sorted out the most suitable cover she can for her circumstances....
Rather than take a gamble and appeal for strangers to pick up the tab if it all God forbid didn't go to plan.

Threads like this make me want to leave mumsnet.

How can you read a story like that and not feel anything other than sympathy for the people in their position - even if they made poor decisions - and concern for the baby.

We don't know the full story - certainly the OP of this thread has inaccuracies.

Yes they may have been stupid to travel but why on earth are you lot so keen to jump on a mother in such an awful situation and beat her with the stupid stick?

We don't know the full story and should reserve judgement till we do.

The baby could die

If you want to donate to try to keep this baby alive then do so. I have, even though I have barely enough money for my own family right now.

If you don't want to donate, then don't. But why make a point of posting that you refuse to help this child? Cold-hearted and judgemental beyond belief. I can't believe anyone would gloat about not helping to save the life of a baby.

Shameful.

"I was sympathetic at first, but all the "poor me" comments are making me less so"

Could you clarify which 'poor me' comments you are referring to, precisely?

If anyone does want to donate, the gofundme is here

www.gofundme.com/nq5eek7a

Well if the insurers haven't made a firm decision than they don't know if they will pay up or not so why collect money straight away? IF money is needed than it should come from family, their savings and so on first and once it is known if the insurers aren't paying then make a public appeal for help.

I don't think these thoughts are exclusive to Mumsnet sleepy. There are an awful lot of MN members with an awful lot of varying views. It's not just one swath of clones thinking the same as you. I find the leaving Mumsnet because of it statement, a really odd thing to say.

Yes, there's an entire thread about the fund. Up to £56k now.

Of course parents fight to make sure their children are okay, just as these parents are. But if you wanted your donation to have much impact as possible, you would be better off donating to Medicine Without Frontiers.

Why are the people on the Go Fund Me page asked for the insurance company to be "named and shamed"? If the couple hadn't taken out adequate travel insurance then the problem is with them, not the insurance company. I'm afraid it's just the sort of mindless web warrior mindset of the type that abused anyone questioning the Dax donations or wanted to threaten Primark because that woman lied about them not letting her breastfeed there.

Ohhh, right. So your sympathy (for these actual human beings, in a horrendous situation) is being eroded because of chat on AIBU.

That's totally understandable.

If they've got £56k now (and rising) then surely that's enough to transfer the baby back to the private hospital now?

No, you do not get to put that responsibility onto other people.
If the baby dies that is not because of those who saw the story and didn't donate.
If the baby dies because the go fund me pot dries up and she has inadequate care at the public hospital then that falls on her parents. It falls on them not taking the right precautions in the first place, for expecting others to pay and for making poor decisions.
If she dies due to inadequate care in the private hospital it again falls on her parents for going to a country with substandard medical provisions.

If that baby dies it is not the fault of anybody here.
And shame on you for trying to make it so

I agree - thst child's situation is their responsibility. No one else's.

That's parenthood.