In general, if you live in Haute Savoie, the health system is OK. However, if you hope to find something on the Ain side, you're out of luck.

A friend of mine gave birth in Thonon twice, and was happy.

Good things to be said for Clinique des grangettes and also Clinique generale beaulieu. You can phone and make an appointment with a midwife in each and have a sit down talk with them. 

If your employer is providing your health insurance coverage, I think it would be wise to consult the HR department before making any decision.

If you have freedom of choice, then you need to consider the practicalities of both pre- and particularly post-natal care.  The nearest university hospitals in neighbouring France are not only a good distance away but also not all that easy to access whereas the HUG’s “Maternité” is just down the road and, if needs must,  “La Tour” is just round the corner.

In any case, all the very best,

Ritchie

PS:

If you have the baby in Geneva the birth will need to be registered in both Switzerland and France – and, of course, at your own national Consulate.

Thanks for your replies!

I can choose between Switzerland and France as my insurance will cover both up to 80%. On the French side I think the nearest maternity hospital to me is Annecy (also a beautiful town!) so I am thinking of registering there or if not there probably HUG in Geneva which I heard is excellent but will cost us more... 

Would love to hear from anybody who has given birth in Annecy public hospital. How was your experience? Its likely I will need a c-section, same as with my first born. I speak some French but i am not fluent so it would be good to have doctors/mid-wife who speak some English if possible.

Merci bien! 

Bonjour Gigi,

I dont have personal experience :) to share ...but i live in Annecy and had a few friends who gave birth at Clinique Générale and were happy with both the environment and the quality of the service provided. As a patient i never had bad experience there. But of course this is a subjective appreciation.

This clinique is much smaller than the Public hospital and located in the very center of Annecy, in the old town, 3 mns walk from the castle. As is it private and not public, the cost of your stay might be higher, not sure about that but of course easy to check.

The hospital has been recently built and i believe is modern in terms of equipment. I went there for surgery and came back alive :). But of course, eing much bigger,  it is less cosy so to speak, than the Clinique.

If you come for a visit and need help with your French, i'll be happy to help if i am free when you come, of course. 

If you scroll down this page, you ll find a little presentation video of the Clinique 

http://www.clinique-generale.net/specialites/maternite/pole-maternite/

The Centre Hopitalier de Annecy is wonderful.

But I would think comprehensively. Start with the best gynecologist to care for you through the whole process. She or he would give you the best advice as to where to give birth, and would actually be the one to arrange for your admission to the hospital and will want you to be at the hospital where she/he usually delivers and where she has a good relationship with the staff.

If you will give birth through a cesarean section, you will be spending time in the hospital afterwards, and you may not want your baby's father (and your current child) to have to drive one hour to spent time with you and the baby while you are still at the hospital, although they can, of course, book a room in a hotel and Annecy is indeed lovely.

There are two good large public hospitals in France much closer than the one at Annecy: the Alpes Leman hospital and the hospital at Saint Julien.

My daughter was born through a C-section at the hospital at Ambilly. It was an old public hospital but the medical and ancillary service was wonderful. It has now been closed and replaced by the new Alpes Leman hospital, which is much closer than Annecy.
https://ch-alpes-leman.fr/

https://ch-alpes-leman.fr/offre-de-soins/maternite_gynecologie/

There is also a hospital at Saint Julien, which is even closer.

https://www.ch-annecygenevois.fr/fr/content/gynecologie-obstetrique-0

I had minor surgery there years ago, and it is quite good.

French health care is excellent and much cheaper than in Switzerland, though medical care would be the last thing on which I would prioritize cost over quality. If you will be paying 20%, though, that may be a consideration.

In the French health system, you should be getting post-partum support, which I don't know if it is available in Geneva.

I would research the whole thing: gynecologist, delivery, post partum care, before deciding where to give birth. But who you chose as your gynecologist is an important first step.

The only neonatal unit around is the HUG therefore if you have any complications or birth before 34 weeks you will end up there regardless. It may be worth it then to check out the services there and see if you like them. Also if you work in GVA and go into labor unexpectedly would you have time to get to Annecy?

I agree, based both on personal experience and the medical literature. Estimated date of delivery is notoriously unreliable, with only about 5% of women delivering on their estimated due date.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23932061/

I would not want to be rushing to get all the way to Annecy, specially if you go into labor unexpectedly in the middle of the night or during the early morning high traffic period.

By the way St Julien and Annecy hospitals are not two different hospitals now but two different sites of the same structure, called CHANGE, which stands for Centre Hospitalier Annecy Genevois.

You can give birth in both places. In case of severe complications...you are directed towards Annecy. 

As indicated in the link below, pregnancy follow up includes one visit at the hospital per month from the 3rd month of pregnancy till the 9th month.

You obviously need to anticipate as appointments are given two months in advance.

Anyway, no stress !! :)

https://www.ch-annecygenevois.fr/fr/content/gynecologie-obstetrique-0