With a growing number of families choosing to start a new life in Portugal there are many new issues that are facing expats who are coming to live here.
It used to be that it was predominantly older people and those coming to retire that made up the majority of the expats in Portugal but now there are an increasing number of young families coming to live in Portugal and the issues facing them and the needs that they have can sometimes be very different than the needs of older residents in Portugal.
When it comes to finding out information for younger families moving for a new life in Portugal it is much harder to find information so I hope to be able to shed some light and give a little information for anyone moving to or living in Portugal with a family.
The first place to start I would guess would be for anyone thinking about having a child in Portugal and what the options are, how the health care system stacks up and what to expect from the state when having a baby.
With the Portuguese government bringing in many new measures because of the austerity measures currently in place please bear in mind that the financial information is liable to change and it is worth checking with social security about your exact entitlements as these could change.
The first thing to note about Portugal is that the Portuguese LOVE children and a pregnant woman is something to be celebrated in Portugal which has an aging population and in many rural areas has a falling birth rate. ?It would be great if this love for children could be reflected in monetary terms but the fact is that the state doesn?t have the money to support new parents as much as in other countries, however what they lack in financial support they more than make up for in other forms of support.
There is a free family planning service available to all couples through a family doctor, you need to be registered with a doctor in Portugal to be able to access the free medical services associated with maternity and family planning.
Contraception is available for free from the nurse in all doctors surgeries and you do not need to make an appointment for this an at this point you can talk with the nurse about family planning before meeting with a doctor.
Pregnant women do not have to pay for appointments with the local doctor and most surgeries in Portugal will have one morning a week that they dedicate to pre natal care where you will be weighed, have your blood pressure taken and have a chance to chat with a doctor about how you are feeling.
If you would rather have private health care the same services are also available (and not just in Portuguese although many doctors do speak very good English) but you will have to pay for these services which can prove quite expensive.
Using the national health system in Portugal you will be given free blood tests during pregnancy and you will also be entitled to at least two free ultrasounds from clinics that are suggested to you by your doctor for this free service.
Before your baby is born you will be invited to visit the local hospital where you will have your baby and this is again a free service if going through the Portuguese health system.
When it comes to financial help the state offers a pre birth subsidy to new mothers that can be claimed from social security before you have the baby or can also be back paid after you have the baby.
New mothers are entitled to five months of maternity leave which is paid for by the state and will be the same amount as you are usually paid at work if you are on a contract. ?When you return to work you are also allowed two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon off from work to be able to go home to feed your baby also.
This is just a very quick round up of what being in pregnant in Portugal can mean to you but for full and further details I would suggest that you visit your local doctor to find out what you are entitled too and also visit the social security office to find out what you can claim for in the way of financial aid if you need it.
having a baby in Portugal should be a joyful experience and with a little help it run very smoothly.
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Source: http://livinginthesun.info/portugal/life-in-portugal-for-families-part-1-maternity/
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