Angelina Jolie Hospital Details: Arrived By Helicopter, Doctor Says All Is Well

NICE, France — Are the Brangelina twins boys or girls? Will they be delivered naturally or by Caesarean?

Angelina Jolie's obstetrician, Michel Sussmann, declined to answer several burning questions about the highly anticipated birth to Hollywood's hottest couple, but he did make one thing clear during a five-minute news conference Wednesday: "She is a patient like any other. And she's very simple. I have a lot of respect for her."

Apparently unaware that the stars are unmarried, the doctor said: "Mrs. Angelina Jolie and her husband, Mr. Brad Pitt, told me to tell you that she is doing absolutely fine."

He said her hospitalization "was scheduled for a long time."

"This is not an emergency situation," he added. "Her hospitalization at this stage in her pregnancy is totally normal for a patient who had a Caesarean (section) during her first pregnancy."

Her stay at the seaside hospital here could be a relatively long one. The doctor said she would remain in the hospital until the babies are delivered and that could be "in the weeks to come."

"I can't give you a date," he said.

French medical secrecy laws are very strict. While Sussmann said that the couple had given him the OK to give out a few details about the pregnancy, he did not disclose either the due date or exactly how far along Jolie's pregnancy is.

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Though the lenses of the world's paparazzi have been trained on maternity wards across the French Riviera in recent weeks, Jolie managed to slip unobserved Sunday into the seafront Lenval hospital, reportedly arriving by helicopter on the hospital's rooftop helipad.

Pitt has been seen coming and going since Jolie's hospitalization became public. On Wednesday afternoon, he entered a side door with the couple's two daughters in tow, 3-year-old Zahara and 2-year-old Shiloh.

Attention focused on southern France after the couple and their four children _ including 6-year-old Maddox and 4-year-old Pax _ took up residence in Correns, about 60 miles from Nice. The town's mayor confirmed that the couple had moved into the Miraval Estate villa, and a helicopter has been spotted taking off and landing there.

Set among palm trees, the boxy white Lenval hospital with mirrored blue windows looks out over the sea. During her stay, Jolie can enjoy views of the city's famed Promenade Anglais, sunbathers reclining on the rocky shores and swimmers dipping into the Mediterranean.

Sussmann said four rooms had been reserved for the couple and a pair of security guards _ debunking rumors that they had taken over the entire fifth floor.

"I find it legitimate that she wants to protect her privacy. She is a pregnant woman," he said.

The hospital is doing the utmost to protect the privacy of the couple _ who for the birth of their first child went to Namibia to evade attention.

The media briefing to a gaggle of journalists jostling for position was held across the street from the hospital. And as of Tuesday, a sign hangs on the visitor's desk inside the lobby: "Journalists are forbidden to enter the premises, except with the authorization of the administration."

Comments

[glesslib]

While I find it hard to understand why the lives of movie actors are of such interest, I still think this couple has been an excellent example of charity in this world. We could use more like them....people with money who spend it helping others.

[CKieffer]

They "booked four rooms"? Is this a hospital or hotel? i would love to see how these two would cope in the real world.

[LoRiseAntlers]

This.

Is.

The.

Most.

Important.

News.

EVAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Elis]

This woman gives me the creeps. I can't put my finger on it, as to why but she does. I remember a few interviews she did when she first started getting noticed, where she said she was into odd sex, where she and Billy Bob did the wearing vials of each other's blood bit, the tattoos all over her...then all of a sudden she's the UN's favorite daughter and all round Earth mama. No one changes this drastically without paying off the media.

[GrandyK]

AJ & Billy Bob didn't wear "VIALS OF BOOD". What is "odd sex' with your husband?"

then all of a sudden she's the UN's favorite daughter and all round Earth mama. No one changes this drastically without paying off the media." Angelian started going on UNHCR missions in the field in 2001 -- there area lot easier ways of changing your image than going to Sierra Leone, Pakistan or Chad.

[Changeling]

Lot's of people change that drastically.

It's called growing up. Sometimes it happens late.

[VOTER]

Once she became aware of others needs she grew into a very caring person through her

hard works and acts of kindness.

You can do the same thing.

[Lvm]

Uh, "She is a patient like any other."... except for the four rooms reserved for her clan and her bodyguards. ha!

[LeftVetPatriot]

But I'M not bitter.

[duze]

God Bless.

[HBeachbum]

Why is Brad wearing that helmet at the hospital? Is he going in to get the babies out?

[lisakaz2]

Maybe Angelina just needs some quiet to gather strength for the upcoming birth. In any case, good luck to you and your expanding brood.

[MyThought]

Okay - so Angelina is having twins - big news flash - a woman is having twins......this has been going on since time began and will continue....what's the big deal?

A woman having a baby is news?

Who cares.

[cybertoothcat]

Someone please explain how this qualifies as news.

[LeftVetPatriot]

NEWShounds hang out in Entertainment pages?

[neesy08]

this is not news. why is it everytime one of these celebrities is preggers the media makes a big deal about it? i could care less, though i hope the babies are okay.

[AdamInMaryland]

1. You chose to open the article.
2. You used the word "preggers" in a sentence. This implies that you actually DO care, and that you likely read US Magazine.

That is all.

PS: Before you ask, I read the article to see if there was any medical reason she was in there, or if it's because she wanted the assured privacy of being in a hospital. I got my answer. Why did you click on the story?

[CKieffer]

A press conference??? On a rich white pregnant woman who decided to check in weeks early at a hospital with an unobstructed view of palm trees and water? Is this a joke???

[Dots]

Why shouldn't she?
If I were faced with giving birth to twins, I'd hock the farm and anything else I could to have the best care.

[shedances]

Not me. I'd hang onto whatever assets I had, to help me take very good care of my children over the coming years. And yes ~ I did give birth to beautiful (identical) twin girls some 14 yrs ago, in a high risk pregnancy (my first) at an urban teaching hospital in the U.S. I didn't have a view of the Mediterranean, though; but it was fine. And I was as comfortable as the next pregnant mother there (there were many, BTW) ... given what I had just been through.

Birth can be a beautiful, life changing experience no matter where you are! You don't need to travel to Europe to have healthy twin newborns, IMO. Just a good Level 3 hospital with competent, trained & caring doctors and a nursing staff, and a supportive spouse & family. The people around you ~ not the location ~ is the recipe, in my view, for a wonderful birth experience.

K

[GrandyK]

In France all sorts get put in the hospital weeks before twins because they have top-notch heathcare -- universal healthcare for all -- unlike the U.S. where only the rich can do that.

[CKieffer]

First of all, if you want the French healthcare system; be prepared for the taxes.

Secondly, the point is not that she is getting "top-notch" healthcare - - the point is that it is not worthy of a news conference. It is absolutely absurd that these two mediocre actors get this type of press over every little thing. I would also hazard to guess that she doesn't really need to "book" four rooms. Is it a hospital or hotel? If the latter, why not just stay home and set up a quasi-hospital room there?

Watch.. give them 3 months after the birth of these twins before they announce they have selected the country from which they will adopt next. And... it will be a healthy baby from any country but the USA.

[LRM216]

Sincere best wishes to the Jolie-Pitt family and their newest editions. Hope all goes well and easy. And also, sincere best wishes for all you other mom's giving birth too, in far less golden circumstances.

[sunny555]

I'm happy for this family, but I can't help but compare their "birth experience" with that of the average American woman.

What bothers me most is that liberals and activists, in their zeal to mandate insurance for all people, have effectively watered down the benefits for upper middle class Americans.

I'd like to see celebrities make do with the kinds of benefits that my family has had forced upon us. 10 years ago our benefits were so much better!

Does anyone see anything hypocritical about people like Ted Kennedy and the Pitts, using their money to get the very best medical care, while advocating socialistic medicine for the rest of us?

[Pippilangstrumpf]

I agree with you totally, sunny.

When I first heard abut Ted Kennedy's brain tumor I felt sad for him and his family. But then I thought that he's going to get the BEST medical care there is. I myself do not have health insurance.
If I found out tomorrow that I had a brain tumor, my kids would probably end up as orphans.
I have written letters to my senators (Durbin and Obama). Got a form letter back from Durbin and when I replied to that I got another letter back that didn't help either. Nothing from Obama...but I hear he's busy these days :)

Anyway, yes...my Gosh...being flown to the hospital in helicopters, getting multiple rooms (with views!!)...what is this? The second coming of Christ or something? I just don't want to hear celebrities go on about being green or spouting off about conditions for poor people when they live like this.

But then again, if the public would stop paying good money to see the crappy films they put out one after the other, they wouldn't be living like this. Can you even imagine what their carbon footprint is? How many homes do they have? It's ridiculous.
For the price of one of Angelina's designer purses she could have provided for Zahara's own mother/family to keep her. Where is the sense in all of this?

[GrandyK]

Considering that Angelina was told Zahara's parents had died where did you want her to send the money? If reports are true Zahara was very, very ill when Angelina adopted her. Apparently, you would have preferred the baby die than be a part of Angelina's family. Why exactly do you expect Angelina and Brad not to avail themselves of the healthcare they can afford. France has universal healthcare. Angelina and Brad are just paying for a larger suite and extra rooms for security and family. I imagine the hospital has also granted privileges to her US obstetrician as well -- if that is what is planned. If we had universal healthcare in the US it wouldn't prevent the wealthy from being able to buy larger rooms or extra services. I'm sure you are organizing your friends and co-workers to demand universal healthcare and have a rally planned for your area soon. Make sure to alert the media -- I'm sure they will send a TV crew.

[sunny555]

Thanks Pippi. I felt exactly the same way about Ted Kennedy when I heard about the private helicopter, the private room, access to the very best doctors in the whole world, etc. etc...yet I don't begrudge him these things. It's just that famous people seem to be very vocal proponents of many things in this country that affect the way non-celebrities live, while they don't follow their own "guidelines" for building a better world.

I recently suffered a concussion that caused me symptoms for two weeks... my doctor and I had to fight for days with my health carrier just to get an MRI. Even at that, they wouldn't pay the whole cost because they felt it was too high for the procedure.

I too have considered how many houses these people have, how much it costs to maintain all of these homes, and all the EXCESS in general. How much of the catered food (I'm sure it's a grand spread they put out) on a movie set goes to waste? All the heat and AC in their homes, the water to keep their lawns green, the gas they guzzle driving their cars and flying jets.....it's insanity.

[shedances]

That's an excellent post, Pippi!

There is a huge difference, in this country, between those who have sufficient money to meet their needs ... and those who don't. I think our media, especially, needs to spend less press attention on births to high profile, rich celebrities like Angelina Jolie ... and more on health care problems.

There are too many expectant mothers who cannot afford maternity care in the U.S., and this lack of decent, affordable prenatal care is what contributes to our birth mortality rates.

K

[meleon]

Please provide proof that either Pitt or Jolie have ever given their expressed opinion on what America's healthcare system should look like. What bothers me is the assumption they MUST be elitist jetsetting tree hugging celeb's simply because......

Hypocrosy to me would be all those right winging it conservatives checking for lapel pins and counting how many times everyone else waves Old Glory while in the same breath having no trouble selling almost anything they can to the highest non-American bidder knowing whatever the product is, it's going to be manufactured for next to nothing, imported back to the states with a jacked up the wazoo price, and add to the wealth SOME MORE to the aforementioned right winging it conservatives checking for lapel pins and counting how many times everyone else waves Old Glory.

[rini]

So, it's better that they enjoy great medical care and not try to improve the lot of others?

I guess you have to suffer and do without in order to try to make the world a better place for others? Personally, I would rather a do gooder celebrity who tries to raise awareness and funds than a callous CEO that doesn't even acknowledge the needs of others and actively works to increase inequality.

[shedances]

Good question, Rini ~ but why does it have to be "either/or"? I mean, why can't we expect all people who are able to (meaning, they're not mental ill or homeless or poverty-striken, etc.) ~ inc. both celebrities and CEOs ~ to give back what they can to those less fortunate in our shared world? In reality, every single human life is dependent upon another to survive in this 1 world we all call "home" (yes, I'm inspired today after seeing WALLE with my kids ... lol) & no one lives in an isolated bubble (not even strict Buddhist monks).

K

[NoMercy]

10 years ago was a Democratic administration.

[Deni]

Hey, Honey, at least you HAVE some kind of insurance. As a cancer survivor, I can't get insurance so at 51 years old, have none. I'd be thrilled to have single-payer insurance, like every other civilized country in the Western world. Oh, yeah. Here health care is for-profit. Gotta keep those HMO CEOs in their McMansions and luxury cars.

[rini]

Yup.

I have this weird idea that the only people who should make a living off of health care are those that administer it...i.e. doctors and nurses and aides.

[shedances]

You are so right, Deni. My best friend also lacks health insurance, and it's been so difficult for her to make ends meet as a single Mom. She's fortunate to have some help ... but I know it's really tough. Yes, indeed ~ something in this country has to change; so that all Americans can have adequate health insurance & health care.

K

[sunny555]

I'm sorry you don't have health insurance and can't get any. Of course that's a travesty. Yes, my family has health insurance which we pay extremely high premiums for. Many of mine and my children's doctors (we have health issues, too) are not in my plan, so we pay out of pocket. We also don't have coverage for prescriptions, eyeglasses, dental and many more things, so we pay out of pocket for these. Contrast it with New Jersey's "Family Care" plan, which is a comprehensive plan for moderate to low-income families .....it covers all the things I just mentioned above. Of course, we the taxpayers foot the bill for this. The program was recently expanded to include even more families based on income, which is well over $50,000 a year.

My husband and I both work to support our family. We paid back student loans for 15 years, bought our house when the market was high, and it's now worth less than what we paid for it. Yet because together our income is over $100,000, we are considered "rich." Unfortunately,in North Jersey, a $500,000 house is practically a shack. Our cost of living expenses are extremely high, and our suburban schools have suffered because, thanks to our liberal/unelected Supreme court, most of our property tax money goes to urban school districts that have wasted million over the past 10 years.

[schicklett3]

Congratulations to Brad and Angelina - I'm happy for them and hope both babies are born healthy and well.
God Bless them all.