Bermuda – Maternity and Giving Birth

Where do most people give birth in Bermuda?

The Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) comprises King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH), the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute (MWI), and the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre. KEMH is the island’s only facility equipped for birth, meaning that, unlike in larger countries where birthing centres or home births are a common mainstream option, hospital delivery is the near-universal norm in Bermuda.

KEMH makes every effort to provide a comforting, family-centred environment for the birth of your baby, with highly trained staff available to assist from labour through delivery, postpartum care, and instructions to help parents when it is time to take their new baby home.

Home births are rare. While a small number of home births — including some water births — have taken place on the island over the years, they are not widely available or routinely supported by hospital staff. Anyone considering a home birth should consult with their healthcare provider and verify in advance whether their health insurance plan covers it, as it is important to discuss delivery preferences with your doctor and check whether your health insurance plan covers birthing options such as hospital and/or pre-certified home birth.

What maternity services are available to pregnant women?

Hospital midwives at BHB provide supportive skilled care to around 650 pregnant women each year before, during, and following the birth of their babies. This is a notably high standard of care for an island of Bermuda’s size. All maternity nurses at KEMH are both registered nurses and registered nurse-midwives.

Educating expectant parents about labour and birth greatly contributes to a safe and positive experience. The hospital offers classes that prepare pregnant women and their partners for the birthing process and for antenatal and postnatal care, and makes every effort to accommodate an expectant couple’s birth plan while assuring safe, quality care for both mother and baby.

One operating room at KEMH functions solely as a state-of-the-art theatre for both planned and emergency Caesarean-sections, with a second room retained for routine deliveries but fully equipped as a back-up operating room. Both rooms are located next to the birthing rooms, making it easier for women who require emergency interventions.

Midwife support during labour can reduce the need for pain medications and other medical interventions. After women give birth, the team continues to provide assistance with newborn care and helps mothers with their chosen method of feeding.

What happens if specialist neonatal care is needed?

The Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), adjacent to the Maternity Unit, cares for babies born before 28 weeks and for other special-needs babies. The hospital attends to about 60 preterm births and performs over 1,163 fetal heart surveillance tests each year.

Because Bermuda is a small island, there are limits to the level of neonatal intervention available locally. Infants who require care beyond what can be provided in Bermuda are most often referred to the IWK (Izaak Walton Killam) Centre at Grace Maternity Hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Families expecting a high-risk pregnancy should discuss overseas referral arrangements with their obstetrician and insurer well in advance of their due date.

It is particularly important to check your health insurance plan to understand your local and overseas care coverage for delivery ahead of time. Preferred neonatal providers within overseas networks offer exceptional care; for guidance, support, and pre-certification for overseas treatment, contact your insurer’s Health Services team.

How does healthcare funding work for maternity care?

Unlike publicly funded systems such as the NHS in the United Kingdom or Medicare in Australia, Bermuda’s healthcare system is primarily insurance-based and privately funded. Health insurance is compulsory for employees in Bermuda, and employers are required to arrange coverage for their staff. Maternity care — including antenatal appointments, labour, delivery, and postnatal care — is typically covered through private health insurance rather than through a universal public scheme.

Expats living and working in Bermuda should carefully review the maternity coverage provided by their employer’s health plan, paying particular attention to limits on specialist visits, overseas referrals, and newborn care. Those who are self-employed or who have gaps in coverage should seek independent health insurance that explicitly includes maternity benefits.

How do you register a birth in Bermuda?

Births in Bermuda are registered with the Registry General. The Registry General is responsible for the legal recording and preservation of vital and general records, ranging from births to other civil registrations. The process is largely initiated by the hospital on your behalf, but parents must complete and return key paperwork within a strict time limit. Here is the step-by-step process:

1. Hospital notification: The Registry General receives notification of the birth from King Edward VII Memorial Hospital using a ‘Form A – Notification of Birth’. This happens automatically after the birth.
2. Receive Form B: The Registry General then sends a ‘Form B – Particulars of Birth’ to the parents, who must complete it and return it within 60 days. There are separate versions of Form B for married and unmarried parents.
3. Complete and return Form B: The Registry General uses the information from Form B – Notice of Particulars of Birth to register the baby’s birth. Ensure all details — including the child’s full name, date of birth, and both parents’ information — are accurate before returning the form.
4. Birth certificate issued: The Registry General will register the birth and send a birth certificate to the parents within 10 working days.
5. Adding a father’s details (if applicable): Where a father’s name is absent from a birth entry and the father wishes to have his name added, he and the child’s mother must make a joint request to the Registrar General. Proof of paternity may be required.
6. Correcting errors: For a birth record to be corrected, the Registrar General must be provided with a sworn declaration that describes the error and provides the true facts. The declaration must be made and signed by specific authorised persons and sworn before a Justice of the Peace or a Commissioner for Oaths.

From 19 January 2004, Bermuda does not recognise a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births under the Bermuda Children Act 1998. This means that births after this date are always considered legitimate whether the parents are married or not.

If your baby is born on a Bermuda-registered ship, the details of the birth will be sent to the Registry General by the Registrar of Shipping, and the Registry General will record the birth in the Register of Marine Births.

The Registry General is located at the Government Administration Building, 1st Floor, 30 Parliament Street, Hamilton HM 12, Bermuda. You can also find information on the official Government of Bermuda website.

How do you obtain a birth certificate?

Birth certificates can be ordered in person at the Registry General. As of 2025, fees are: standard birth certificate $60; express birth certificate $85; birth certificate without search (registration number provided) $35; birth certificate without search express $60.

If you live outside of Bermuda, you can order a birth certificate by completing a certificate order form and sending it to the Registry General. Birth certificates for newborn children are processed within 10 working days upon receipt of the completed Form B. For previously registered births, a birth certificate is processed within 2 working days upon receipt of the request. If you need the certificate urgently, you may obtain one in less than 2 working days, though additional fees apply.

What are the laws and attitudes surrounding abortion in Bermuda?

Abortions are legal in Bermuda, but require the approval of a committee of obstetricians, a psychiatrist, and a general practitioner. This body is known as the Therapeutic Abortion Committee. Permission is only granted if the pregnancy resulted from sexual assault or incest, or if the mother’s life is at risk by going to full term; exemptions are also in place if the child is at risk of serious mental or physical abnormalities.

The Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) has noted that the use of a committee to assess applications mirrors a model introduced in Canada in 1968, but deemed unconstitutional by its Supreme Court in 1988, and has described the system as “unconstitutional and outdated.” The WRC takes no position on the morality of abortion itself but advocates for women’s right to make decisions about their own health and bodies.

One of the greatest challenges in Bermuda is cost. Without insurance, a termination can cost between $2,000 and $3,000, even at the Government’s Maternal Health Clinic. The process to obtain an abortion is often inaccessible for low-income or uninsured women, highlighting a layer of healthcare inequity.

There is a stigma attached to abortion in Bermuda driven by cultural and religious influences. Advocates note that while these perspectives are valid, they should not infringe on a woman’s right to bodily autonomy. The topic remains socially sensitive and politically contested on the island.

Is abortion law in Bermuda changing?

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice confirmed in early 2025 that measures to reform abortion legislation would be implemented in the current legislative session. The Women’s Resource Centre welcomed proposed legislative changes regarding pregnancy termination, particularly the removal of abortion from the criminal code and the elimination of the committee approval requirement, though noted that the Throne Speech did not provide sufficient details to fully assess their impact.

Advocates have argued that abortion should be seen as a healthcare issue rather than a criminal one. A practical cost-reduction measure proposed by advocates is replacing the psychiatric assessment requirement with a general mental health evaluation provided by subsidised community mental health providers, which is expected to lower the overall cost of the process.

Anyone currently navigating this situation should seek up-to-date advice from a local healthcare provider or contact the Women’s Resource Centre for guidance on current access and support services. Legislation in this area is actively evolving, and the situation may have changed since this article was written. Check the official Government of Bermuda website for the latest legal position.

Frequently asked questions

Is there only one hospital where you can give birth in Bermuda?

Yes. King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) in Hamilton is the only facility in Bermuda equipped to handle labour and delivery. Home births are extremely rare and not routinely supported by the hospital’s clinical staff. Anyone considering a home birth should speak with their doctor and insurer beforehand.

Do I need private health insurance to give birth in Bermuda?

Bermuda does not have a universal public healthcare system equivalent to the NHS or Medicare. Healthcare is primarily insurance-based. Employees in Bermuda are required by law to have health insurance provided by their employer. Expats should confirm that their policy includes comprehensive maternity coverage, including antenatal care, delivery, and newborn care.

How long do I have to register my baby’s birth in Bermuda?

Parents must complete Form B – Particulars of Birth and return it to the Registry General within 60 days of receiving it. The hospital automatically notifies the Registry General after the birth using Form A, so the process begins without parents needing to take the first step.

How long does it take to receive a Bermuda birth certificate?

Birth certificates for newborn children are processed within 10 working days upon receipt of the completed Form B. For previously registered births, a certificate is processed within 2 working days; if you need the certificate urgently, you may obtain one in less than 2 working days, though additional fees apply.

Can I order a Bermuda birth certificate from overseas?

If you live outside of Bermuda, you can order a birth certificate by completing a certificate order form and sending it to the Registry General. Payment must be made by credit or debit card when using the certificate order form. Contact the Registry General at 30 Parliament Street, Hamilton HM 12, Bermuda for further details.

Is abortion legal in Bermuda?

The Therapeutic Abortion Committee, made up of obstetricians, a psychiatrist, and a general practitioner, authorises if and when abortions can go ahead in Bermuda. Permission is only granted if the pregnancy resulted from sexual assault or incest, or if the mother’s life is at risk; exemptions also apply if the child is at risk of serious mental or physical abnormalities. Abortion on request is not currently available, though reform is underway as of 2025.

Is Bermuda’s abortion law going to change?

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice confirmed in early 2025 that measures to reform abortion legislation would be implemented in the current legislative session. The proposed changes include removing abortion from the criminal code and potentially eliminating the committee approval requirement. Readers should check current official sources for the latest position, as this is an actively evolving area of law.

What support is available for women facing an unplanned pregnancy in Bermuda?

The Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) offers guidance, counselling, and advocacy for women in Bermuda. The Government’s Maternal Health Clinic also provides initial appointments. If an uninsured woman wishes to access termination services, she can go to the Maternal Health Clinic for the initial appointment, but will then need to pay for blood work, an ultrasound, a psychiatry visit, and the medical procedure itself. Financial assistance options should be discussed directly with the clinic or the WRC.