Should We or Should We Not Move to Guam??

[BebeG922]

HI fischman714,

would you care to share your experience with your family's move to Guam and birth of child? I'm a U.S. expat in HK, as is husband, and we are contemplating the issue of labor and delivery in Guam, which is the nearest US territory to HK. Labor and delivery in HK is out of the question given the lack of care, but traveling 16 hours on an airplane (when I'm 7 1/2 months pregnant) to go back to the mainland to give birth may be a little too stressful on my body and gives us pause.

What were your wife's experiences? Any feedback you can provide is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

BebeG922

Originally Posted by fischman714

My wife and I have recently been offered an opportunity to temporarily move to Guam for approximately 18 months. I work for a large construction company in California, specifically in the Los Angeles area, and we have a project starting there in January of 2011. We have been offered travel/moving expenses, vehicle shipping expenses, paid housing and 18 months of job security in an unstable stateside construction market.
With all of that being said, we definitely see the benefits to accepting the offer.
Unfortunately there is one big “issue” holding us back. My wife and I are having our first child due this coming March. This means that we will be delivering on Guam and raising our child there for their first 1 ½ years.
We have extensively researched about moving there and googled just about everything you can google but our biggest concern has also been the most difficult to find information on; what is Guam Memorial Hospital care like? Has anyone had firsthand experience there? It doesn’t necessarily have to be with regards to delivering a baby as we may actually deliver at a birthing center, Sagua Managu, as we think it may be better than GMH based on what we have researched so far.
We have read everything from “what would expect for an ER on a small island”, “its not too bad” to “don’t go there or you will die”
Seriously, can anybody give us some real feedback/reviews for the GMH?
I mean people obviously deliver babies and raise newborns in Guam, it cant be that bad.
We have a ton of other questions as well so it would be nice to get to know someone on here that lives there/recently lived there to get some additional information and hopefully meet someone that we could meet up with when we get there in January.
Any and all feedback is appreciated.
Thanks.

[STT Resident]

Originally Posted by BebeG922

HI fischman714,

Bebe, the OP only posted once 3 years ago and didn't return to the thread or to CD period so you may want to send a private message through CD and the notification will be sent to his regular email address. Just click on his user name and you'll find the link to send a direct message.

[Texamichiforniasota]

Originally Posted by BebeG922

HI fischman714,

would you care to share your experience with your family's move to Guam and birth of child? I'm a U.S. expat in HK, as is husband, and we are contemplating the issue of labor and delivery in Guam, which is the nearest US territory to HK. Labor and delivery in HK is out of the question given the lack of care, but traveling 16 hours on an airplane (when I'm 7 1/2 months pregnant) to go back to the mainland to give birth may be a little too stressful on my body and gives us pause.

What were your wife's experiences? Any feedback you can provide is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

BebeG922

So I don't have any personal experiences with family delivering in Guam, but I did work in health care in the Marianas and there are some limitations to what the health care system there can provide due to the remote setting. Most of the time I was out there, there were issues with broken equipment and occasional medication/blood product shortages. Most of the doctors I met at GMH were pretty good given the limitations they have. I think they handle a routine delivery pretty well. However, as anyone who works in health care knows, a routine delivery can turn into a dangerous delivery very quickly. They do have a NICU at GMH. If I was going to have a baby there I would make sure I had medical evacuation insurance. I knew people who delivered out there, but even though it's a significantly further flight, Honolulu might be worth considering.

[ipaper]

Guam is a nice small island that's pretty quiet and peaceful with not a lot going on. for the most parts the people are friendly and very laid back. use to have lots of Japanese tourist at the main beach downtown. I was in the military there and when people jog on base these large black birds would chase after you not sure if that happen off base. don't have all the animinities of state side but its not all that bad for 18 months. I remember two malls but they are way behind anything state side. I use to always eat at tgi Fridays and outback steak house. give it a try and best of luck

[vms_cmiamt]

I would recommend Sagua Managu. My wife gave birth at Sagua Managu for both our children. But they put you through a series of examinations/lab test to make sure you are healthy. If your test results don't meet their requirements, they will refuse to admit you. The facilities and the staff are tops in my book! You have a room to yourself, immediate family members are allowed access 24/7 (including the siblings). Your visitors can even sleep over. I heard at GMH you have to wait for next available doctor (If you primary is not on island), and you share a room with another patient.

Guam Memorial Hospital can handle all emergencies, but if you need specialize doctor? You might be sent off island. If you are a retired veteran you have option to visit the Naval hospital. However for the rest of us, patients are sent to St. Lukes in the Philippines. St. Lukes is the best hospital in the Asian region- Their service is hotel like. For example my wife's stepfather suffered a heart attack, after he was stabilized he was sent off island to St. Lukes to have a triple bypass and pace maker surgery. He really enjoyed the service and made a fast recovery. My co-worker who suffered a terrible motorcycle accident, would have had both legs amputated because infection had set in. Fortunately GMH immediately flew him to St. Lukes, and the doctors were able to save his legs. The airlines I work for, we are ready at any time to convert 2-3 rows of passenger seating to accommodate a gurney or an infant incubator when flying patients out. Once we get the word from the hospital, we can do the conversion in 1-2 hours.

I moved to Guam from Hawaii in 1996, I was suppose to stay 3 years. But 17 years later I am still here. Whatever questions you have post it and I will try my best to answer them

[canceltriplea]

Although this thread is old...no one ever really answered the original question of what life in Guam was like. Got sidetracked into talking about birthing babies in their hospitals...Guess if you really want to know the answer to that question (without getting sidetracked) is to go to Youtube. Then people who live or have lived there can give a better assessment.

[STT Resident]

Originally Posted by canceltriplea

Although this thread is old...no one ever really answered the original question of what life in Guam was like. Got sidetracked into talking about birthing babies in their hospitals...Guess if you really want to know the answer to that question (without getting sidetracked) is to go to Youtube. Then people who live or have lived there can give a better assessment.

The original question was about birthing in Guam. I'd hazard a very wild guess that since the thread was first started over 3 years ago the OP came to a decision.