Travelling to US when pregnant

[Vintagegoth]

Someone I know who is pregnant is travelling to the US, specifically Texas, for several months. I expressed surprise that they would choose to do that considering the mess that is the law around abortion and women's reproductive health in the US at the moment. My husband says IABU. What do people think?

Unless she’s travelling to Texas for an abortion she’ll be fine.

Don’t do it. Any sort of pregnancy complication could end up being deadly.

I thought your concern was going to be the cost of healthcare if she or her baby become unwell. They have excellent healthcare in the US, but it’s expensive. Abortion laws are irrelevant to her and probably an offensive thing to bring up with a women who is pregnant with a baby she wants to keep.

They’re not irrelevant. The laws apply to any care a pregnant lady may need. They will choose to save the foetus over the mother.

Its not just about obtaining an abortion. If you need tot terminate for medical reasons or even if the baby dies in the womb at whatever stage she could be prosecuted.

The laws over there are fucking mental.

OMG, what are the media doing ti our intelligence! Women do get pregnant in Texas and receive excellent care. Many do get abortions without being persecuted! Can we stop the hysteria?

My point was that the strict laws in Texas (where abortion is illegal after 6 weeks) mean that doctors can be reluctant to carry out emergency procedures where the health of the mother is at risk and the baby may die as a consequence. I was in no way suggesting that she would choose to abort a wanted baby during the trip. Women have died in Texas as a result of this law and they have recently updated the guidance around the details of it. Doctors who are deemed to have broken the law can be sentenced to up to 99 years in prison.

Yeah for the seemingly crazy decision making that prioritises fetus over the women I would also be extremely worried.

As with all these things it is her choice to make, but if I was in the same position I would not travel there while pregnant.

I wouldn’t go anywhere near Texas, pregnant or not.

I’m sure she has excellent health/travel insurance but a cautionary tale - DN went into labour at 24 weeks in the USA. Final bill was a shade under $1,000,000 over 10 years ago. Excellent care and outcome though.

They’re not irrelevant - if she goes into labour or has pregnancy complications, they will prioritise the baby over her - she needs to be well aware of that risk. Of course, if she’s happy to be kept “alive” as an incubator until the baby is born then that’s up to her.

But you are not her so i really dont see the issue

The laws are hardly “irrelevant” if she experiences complications, a miscarriage or anything else where the doctors might be forbidden from doing what is best for the woman. Jfc.

It’s not so much the cost now, it’s the laws around pregnancy and how the baby will always be prioritised over the mother, even if that means the mother dies, or is kept alive (but brain dead) just to ensure the baby survives.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Savita_Halappanavar

Oddly women didn't avoid Ireland, and women here continued to get pregnant. I had a miscarriage around this time, different hospital, different part of the country, and I presented at the hospital with very heavy bleeding. Doctor didn't fool around checking for a heartbeat and I think I was lucky.

OP has a point worth considering by pregnant women.

I certainly wouldn't recommend anyone pregnant spend time in any of the states that have abortion bans if they have a choice in the matter. The health of mother so called 'exceptions' have deliberately been made so vague that no hospital will risk intervention until the mother is close to death.

If it were a friend I would want to make sure they know this and, if they must go, recommend they ensure they have a plan to get to a safe state for treatment ASAP if that's at all possible.

Or course, it's overwhelmingly likely things will be fine - it's just that if they're not, things could get dangerous fast.

I went to Texas twice for work while
pregnant, didn’t cross my mind to be concerned. If anything I knew I’d receive better medical care there if something happened compared to the NHS (at a cost obviously but I had travel insurance). I don’t agree with the Texas abortion laws and am 100% pro choice but there’s also no need for a hysterical response, let your friend be and by all means don’t go yourself while pregnant. There have been enough maternity scandals and poor maternal outcomes in the UK in recent years that she probably should be more concerned about giving birth here but I’m sure you’re not warning her about that.

I think a short trip is fine but a long trip is somewhat odd

if the baby comes early and happens to be born in the US that means that they are officially a US citizen. That makes all kinds of things complicated including making you liable to pay US tax in the future despite being resident abroad. Getting rid of American citizenship is not really possible, don’t think. You can be British (or other certain nationalities) too, but you can never get rid of your American citizenship.

Don't be so ridiculous! I had a threatened miscarriage when I was on holiday in America and I was treated very well.

Just make sure the insurance covers everything.

Which state were you in?

Laws on treatment of pregnant women vary by state.

I would be very concerned. If it was a short trip and I was low risk I might be prepared to take the risk but certainly not anything longer term.

Exactly, no idea why the need for the dramatics

This.

People on this thread seem startlingly ignorant.

Women have been left to die or at risk of death when miscarrying or there are other medical issues because doctors won’t act in any way that could be interpreted as facilitating an abortion. It’s horrifying.

Your friend is taking a huge risk.

Hopefully there’ll be no complications but it’s a hell of a risk.

It depends on the state.