CHILDBIRTH

Individual steps will vary for each individual expectant mother, and a detailed preparatory and obstetrics process will be determined by each patient’s wishes, as well as state of health. In choosing to give birth at a medical institution in Latvia, the patient can primarily anticipate the development of a close relationship electronically, followed by a visit to Latvia for the birth. If possible, the mother is recommended to plan an advance visit to Latvia and to visit the maternity department before the critical period of pregnancy (around week 35 or 36 of pregnancy). Thus, the mother has the chance to discover the surrounding environment in which she will look forward to the birth of her baby, to ask any questions she is interested in and to choose medical personnel in person.

The general steps of the obstetrics planning process are as follows:

• Electronic communication with the chosen clinic, introduction to specialists and analysis of requirements (via phone calls, e-mails, skype calls).
• Possible introductory visit – planned on a specific date and time:
  • Introduction to the department, consultations with the chosen gynaecologist – obstetrics specialist and midwife, possible diagnostics.
• First/second visit – arrival for the birth:
  • Registration, settling into your room; the patient must bring all the pregnancy supervision documents that they have received to date;
  • Childbirth;
  • Post-natal care:
    • days after a natural birth;
    • days after a Caesarean section operation
  • Vaccination of the baby before its discharge from the department.

Latvia’s medical institutions offer a convenient procedure in relation to arranging the formalities related to childbirth. The baby’s birth can be registered in the Registry Office section at the relevant institution or on site on set days in the maternity department (depending on the chosen medical institution). Documents to be submitted:

• a notice regarding the baby’s birth (issued by the maternity department);
• the parents’ personal identification documents;
• marriage certificate if the parents are married.

After returning home, a birth certificate issued in Latvia can also be registered in the patient’s home country.

If one of the parents of a child born in Latvia is a citizen of another country, the child may obtain the citizenship of the other parent’s country if the parents desire this. The parents must inform the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs that they arranging for their child to receive the citizenship of another country, in order to update the information in the Population Register about the child’s other national affiliation. For detailed information about the granting of citizenship, see the Citizenship Law. After registration in the Register of Births, the child will receive a personal identity code and its parents will be issued with a birth certificate.