Anyone receive medical care in Cancun, San Juan or Grand Cayman?

[Anonymous]

I am 20 weeks into a difficult pregnancy which seems to have finally turned the corner. I got the OK to travel but am nervous in the event something happens while I am out of the country. Can anyone speak to the medical facilities in these areas? TIA.

[Anonymous]

About 10 years ago, my sister had severe heat rash and fainted while we were on vacation in Cancun. We were at our hotel when it happened (a big, all inclusive type), and the hotel staff immediately contacted the on call doctor, who kept office hours at the hotel during the day. She received excellent care, and he spoke English as well. Although heat rash is fairly common (and I'm sure a hotel doc in a touristy place probably sees a lot of it), we would have felt comfortable going back with other ailments, if necessary. Can you check with your hotel to see who their on call dr is, or who they recommend?

[Anonymous]

PP here. Sorry, I didn't read carefully enough to see that you wanted to know about facilities. I can't speak to that, as my sister was treated in the doctor's office at the hotel, which was nice but certainly not a hospital. In my experiences abroad, in many larger international cities that have large disparities between the wealthy and the poor. there are usually general or public hospitals for those without money, and then better, more modern facilities for those who can afford such care. Although these private hospitals are not always like ones in the US, I would imagine that they are equipped to handle any pregnancy complication or problem.

[Anonymous]

Grand Cayman has excellent facilities. I had a colleague who was injured and suffered a serious infection and he received excellent care.

[Anonymous]

Would you consider Florida instead???
There are excellent medical facilities in Florida, especially for pregnancy and they have excellent NICUs.
I remember researching NICUs in San Juan and I wasn't impressed.
You probably won't need a NICU but just in case, I would look into NICUs if I were you.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't risk it OP. You are so close to viability. I would only travel near the highest level NICUs if you have had a difficult pregnancy. A friend just gave birth at 27 weeks and the baby is doing well thanks to the excellent care at Georgetown.

You can take a beach vacation with the baby once he or she is safely here. Florida could be a nice sub if you keep an eye on the weather - maybe Miami?

Anything you like to do besides the beach? Trip to NY?

Congrats on the baby to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would you consider Florida instead???
There are excellent medical facilities in Florida, especially for pregnancy and they have excellent NICUs.
I remember researching NICUs in San Juan and I wasn't impressed.
You probably won't need a NICU but just in case, I would look into NICUs if I were you.

I'd rather not go to Florida since it's really not beach weather in Jan, reliably, even in Miami. That's where we will end up though if I can't get comfortable with the other locales. I already have one child so I have done the vacation with a baby, not what we are looking for if possible - we will be doing that later this summer.

[Anonymous]

OP,
If you go out of the country make sure you verify that your health insurance covers you. Frankly I would not risk it. Even if the facilities are great in Cancun and San Juan, if you have a medical emergency there would be a language barrier -- unless of course you are fluent in Spanish. Also, Cancun's had some crazy violence (assassinations) in the past year, drug war stuff. Research that. If you go, I'd take San Juan over Cancun. Sadly. I love Mexico.

[Anonymous]

P.S. If your insurance doesn't cover you, you may have trouble buying supplemental travel health insurance because of your pregnancy.