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Knocked up abroad: getting pregnant in a foreign country

by Meg Nesterov (RSS feed) on Feb 16th 2011 at 2:30PM

My first clue that something was different came when I woke up one night on vacation in Kiev at 3am, proceeded to eat 3 slices of toast with caviar spread, went back to bed and woke up a few hours later wondering if they made blueberry muffins in Ukraine (tragicially, they do not). That "time of the month" hadn't happened but flying tends to always mess with your body, so I didn't give it much of a thought. Since moving to Istanbul from New York in May 2010 for a work project, my husband and I take frequent trips around Eastern Europe (see my Weekending posts) and that week we spent exploring Kiev and Warsaw while Turkey celebrated Kurban Bayramı (the Muslim festival of sacrifice).

When we arrived back home in Istanbul a few days later, I dug out the Turkish pregnancy test I had purchased a few months earlier after a previous false alarm. Though the instructions were in Turkish, peeing on a stick is fairly universal, and the "POZITIF" results were hard to misinterpret. Excited and nervous to be pregnant in a foreign country, my husband and I wondered what a mountain of paperwork we'd have to provide U.S. Customs in 9 months, what the medical system in Istanbul would be like, and if we could get away with having a baby in Turkey not named in some way for Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, father of modern Turkey and namesake for millions of Turks. Being pregnant in a foreign country is the ultimate way of "going native," the most "authentic" travel experience you can have. It's also challenging, sometimes scary, and limits where you can travel, but can be a great way to discover a culture, their hospitality, and traditions.

Once I confirmed that I was in fact hamile with bebek, I noticed how child-friendly Turkey is, though not without challenges for the expecting expat. I could only find one English-language pregnancy book (co-written by Oprah's fave, Dr. Oz, who is of Turkish descent), I've heard C-sections are pushed on many women as the only option for childbirth, and I've found maternity clothes are mostly limited to childish t-shirts and denim overalls. Turkey's also a dream for the pregnant traveler: fresh fruit juice is cheap and easy to find at most cafes, vaccinations aren't needed to visit, and Turks treat pregnant women with the utmost respect and care.

Having a baby, especially a first, in a foreign country isn't for everyone. My family and support system is far away and I don't know where to go for things I can find easily in my hometown. My doctor speaks excellent English but many of the nurses and hospital staff do not, and my Turkish is hardly fluent enough to cover every situation. Though the cost of domestic help is low, I'm not sure I want a lady with whom I can't fully communicate telling me how to raise a baby.

Pregnancy also changes how you look at travel, both where you go and how you do it. I've been fortunate not to have morning sickness, but I'm just as at risk for disease as other pregnant women and have to weigh the risks of visiting countries with suggested vaccinations or food- and water-borne illnesses. Growing a baby is tiring work, and it's hard to reconcile my usual travel self (lots of walking, few breaks) with my pregnant self (tired and hungry almost all the time). The best part about pregnancy travel is learning how each culture values pregnant women and mothers, hearing childbirth experiences from locals and foreigners, and seeing how kind strangers really can be. And all the food cravings help you discover the local cuisine, too.

Stay tuned for more on pregnancy travel, including Turkish superstitions and customs, the lowdown on prenatal medical care in Istanbul, where to travel in each trimester, what to eat when pregnant abroad, and more on having a baby in a foreign country. Check here for further updates.

Filed under: Europe, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Jeremy Feb 16th 2011 4:06PM

I think I disagree about your baby being eligible to run for President.

According to US Code for Natural Born Citizens:

"(c) a person born outside of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents both of whom are citizens of the United States and one of whom has had a residence in the United States or one of its outlying possessions, prior to the birth of such person"

US Code Title 8, Chapter 12, Subchapter III, Part I, § 1401"Nationals and citizens of United States at birth"

That's good ol' fashioned legal speak, but I think your baby has a future in leadership.

Meg Nesterov Feb 17th 2011 2:23AM

Thanks Jeremy, there's hope for us yet! Glad I held on to our New York apartment. I was surprised to learn my child will have no Turkish citizenship rights; unless one parent is a Turkish citizen, they'd have to apply just like any other foreigner. Ah well, Turkey's not in the EU yet! Thanks again for the code.

JR Feb 18th 2011 12:26AM

However, being born in Turkey does establish dual citizenship. If the baby returns to Turkey after his/her 18th birthday, they could find themselves conscripted for the mandatory two year military service. I worked with an American student in Ankara who was in the Turkish Army for just that reason.

Chickie Feb 19th 2011 3:24AM

Jeremy is INCORRECT. Jeremy sounds like one of those "birther folks." Here is the code.....

Constitutional Topic: Citizenship - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net

Natural-born citizen

Who is a natural-born citizen? Who, in other words, is a citizen at birth, such that that person can be a President someday?

The 14th Amendment defines citizenship this way: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." But even this does not get specific enough. As usual, the Constitution provides the framework for the law, but it is the law that fills in the gaps. The Constitution authorizes the Congress to do create clarifying legislation in Section 5 of the 14th Amendment; the Constitution, in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 4, also allows the Congress to create law regarding naturalization, which includes citizenship.

Currently, Title 8 of the U.S. Code fills in the gaps left by the Constitution. Section 1401 defines the following as people who are "citizens of the United States at birth:"

Anyone born inside the United States *
Any Indian or Eskimo born in the United States, provided being a citizen of the U.S. does not impair the person's status as a citizen of the tribe
Any one born outside the United States, both of whose parents are citizens of the U.S., as long as one parent has lived in the U.S.
Any one born outside the United States, if one parent is a citizen and lived in the U.S. for at least one year and the other parent is a U.S. national
Any one born in a U.S. possession, if one parent is a citizen and lived in the U.S. for at least one year
Any one found in the U.S. under the age of five, whose parentage cannot be determined, as long as proof of non-citizenship is not provided by age 21
Any one born outside the United States, if one parent is an alien and as long as the other parent is a citizen of the U.S. who lived in the U.S. for at least five years (with military and diplomatic service included in this time)
A final, historical condition: a person born before 5/24/1934 of an alien father and a U.S. citizen mother who has lived in the U.S.
* There is an exception in the law — the person must be "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States. This would exempt the child of a diplomat, for example, from this provision.

Anyone falling into these categories is considered natural-born, and is eligible to run for President or Vice President. These provisions allow the children of military families to be considered natural-born, for example.

Separate sections handle territories that the United States has acquired over time, such as Puerto Rico (8 USC 1402), Alaska (8 USC 1404), Hawaii (8 USC 1405), the U.S. Virgin Islands (8 USC 1406), and Guam (8 USC 1407). Each of these sections confer citizenship on persons living in these territories as of a certain date, and usually confer natural-born status on persons born in those territories after that date. For example, for Puerto Rico, all persons born in Puerto Rico between April 11, 1899, and January 12, 1941, are automatically conferred citizenship as of the date the law was signed by the President (June 27, 1952). Additionally, all persons born in Puerto Rico on or after January 13, 1941, are natural-born citizens of the United States. Note that because of when the law was passed, for some, the natural-born status was retroactive.

The law contains one other section of historical note, concerning the Panama Canal Zone and the nation of Panama. In 8 USC 1403, the law states that anyone born in the Canal Zone or in Panama itself, on or after February 26, 1904, to a mother and/or father who is a United States citizen, was "declared" to be a United States citizen. Note that the terms "natural-born" or "citizen at birth" are missing from this section.

In 2008, when Arizona Senator John McCain ran for president on the Republican ticket, some theorized that because McCain was born in the Canal Zone, he was not actually qualified to be president. However, it should be noted that section 1403 was written to apply to a small group of people to whom section 1401 did not apply. McCain is a natural-born citizen under 8 USC 1401(c): "a person born outside of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents both of whom are citizens of the United States and one of whom has had a residence in the United States or one of its outlying possessions, prior to the birth of such person." Not everyone agrees that this section includes McCain — but absent a court ruling either way, we must presume citizenship.

mlondeaux Feb 18th 2011 6:29AM

@CHICKIE - I don't know why you're disagreeing with Jeremy. You said exactly the same thing he did except that you used a lot more words to say it. BTW, John McCain is considered a natural-born citizen because both of his parents were U.S. citizens and also the Panama Canal was under U.S. jurisdiction at the time of his birth.

Gail Feb 17th 2011 8:14PM

Meg what a charming article with a sweet perspective. Godspeed to you and your baby.

Jay Feb 17th 2011 8:44PM

If I were married and living abroad with my wife who had become pregnant, I would want to get my assignment changed. I would want the best medical care available for my wife and child, and that would be in the USA.

Rosemary Feb 18th 2011 5:53AM

Have you had medical attention in another country? Obviously not, or you would not be affirming that the best medical attention is offered in the US.

Emily Feb 18th 2011 12:54AM

I love America more then most people but get your facts straight. In the case of child birth we actually have a terrible record.

Lisa Feb 18th 2011 2:31AM

I had my daughter who is now two in South Korea. I have to say it was the best experience I have ever had!!! As great as the USA is I must say that the health care overseas can be just as good. So enjoy your pregnancy abroad and don't be too worried. Congratulations and best of luck

Judy Feb 23rd 2011 12:02AM

I too have had one child in another country (New Zealand ) and had already had one in the US. The NZ experience was far superior.

itsme560 Feb 17th 2011 9:30PM

Are you kidding me? God, some people just love to give a play by play of their life.

You're just 1 person and can't speak for all cases. Who cares if your cycle gets messsed up in flying? Why does AOL put out such garbage?

Snaproll Feb 17th 2011 10:07PM

I don't know what your gender is, but if you're a man I would not want to have a beere with you and if a woman, God, what a crappy disposition. Cheer up.

mlondeaux Feb 18th 2011 6:28AM

@itsme560 - Although this article might not interest you, there are other people who find it quite interesting. Out of the gazillion things you can find on the internet, why do you choose this one blog to vent your frustration at? Go somewhere else if you don't like it.

chucki42 Feb 17th 2011 9:56PM

oh happy joy joy... now do you think they would want their child to be a citizen of their country?

methatswho Feb 17th 2011 11:11PM

happy happy joy joy? who are you, ren or stimpy?

barry clark Feb 17th 2011 10:17PM

I was in the navy and went to istanbul turkey, that was the scummist ports we went to in the entire world.

Zee Feb 18th 2011 12:11AM

You are a bunch idiots ! I bet you still think the world is flat ! If you think the port ( it is called bosporos in English ) dirty , go check out Potomac river !
just go get a life people !

methatswho Feb 17th 2011 10:59PM

This story was by far the most useless story ever told (should be the name of your story). I just kept reading it hoping to find the point in it. Seems to me like AOL is having a slow news week. Nobody cares that flying messes up your period and you had a failed pregnancy tests months earlier....is that your story? I can name at least 5 elementary school students who have a better story to tell than yours. yyyyyyyaaaaawwwwwnnnnnnssssssss.