The journey of bringing a new life into the world is one you’ll need some help with, and the doctor who can care for you before, during and after your pregnancy is an obstetrician-gynecologist, or OB-GYN for short. This doctor specializes in women’s health and reproduction and can take care of you for both general gynecological needs and childbirth.
These specialists play an important role in the care of women throughout their lives, not just during pregnancy. The American Pregnancy Association, a national organization that promotes pregnancy wellness, reports that OB-GYNs are medical doctors who specialize “in the management of pregnancy, labor and birth. They also receive specialized education in the area of the female reproductive system and surgical care. Much of their education focuses on the detection and management of obstetrical and gynecological problems.” You may see an OB-GYN for routine gynecological care, such as pelvic exams and Pap smears, as well as for infertility, abnormal bleeding, cancer, endometriosis and many other women’s health concerns.
[See: 10 Weird Mind and Body Changes That Are Totally Normal During Pregnancy.]
So how can you find the right doctor for you? “It’s actually a very complicated question,” says Dr. Jonathan Schaffir, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. This is because many factors may play into your decision, ranging from convenience and the doctor’s subspecialty to cultural preference and the doctor’s bedside manner.
“Obstetrics is maybe a little different from some other fields of medicine because it’s something where people often walk into the situation with their own opinions and cultural and social needs about what they’re looking for in a birth experience, and there are different philosophies regarding the birth experience,” Schaffir says. “Although I would like to think that most [OB-GYNs] are similarly trained and everyone is looking out for the same important factors of making sure that the mom and the baby remain healthy, there are some providers who are more naturalistic and hands-off and some who try to do every possible test to make sure that nothing goes wrong. I would say it’s important to find someone whose philosophy gels with yours.”
One place to start, Schaffir says, is by looking at local doctors who accept your health insurance plan. But because pregnancy and childbirth is such an intensely personal time, you may get better results by asking friends and family for referrals. He also recommends considering whether you have any special needs or other health concerns. “If you are a reasonably healthy woman without a lot of high-risk factors, you could likely see anyone and have a great experience. But if you do have medical conditions that would make your pregnancy high-risk, or a previous pregnancy with some complication, then it’s important to seek out a provider who has some expertise and comfort in dealing with those particular problems. That should be a big factor in choosing a provider.”
Dr. Kecia Gaither, director of Perinatal Services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx, agrees that factoring in any other health concerns should be “the first question to consider” when selecting a doctor. Women with comorbid medical conditions, like diabetes, will “require a subspecialist — a maternal fetal medicine specialist, as opposed to a generalist.” She also says you should think carefully about whether you’d be more comfortable being seen by a male doctor or a female doctor.
[See: How to Make Healthful Dietary Changes Last a Lifetime.]
Finding a board-certified doctor is also critical, Gaither says. “Board certification lets the patient know the physician has put in the time for study and is up-to-date with the latest medical information.” You can check your physician’s status by visiting the American Board of Medical Specialists website and searching by name.
Beyond these basics, Gaither also recommends that patients learn a little more about the doctor by finding out whether the physician is involved in the community or helps educate women about their health. “One of the best ways I have found to educate patients on women’s health concerns is via social media,” she says. “Do your homework about your potential provider.”
What can be harder to determine when assessing whether the doctor is a good fit for you is how your communication styles and personalities will mesh. Gaither recommends thinking about your expectations for the relationship you’ll have with your OB-GYN. “My style of communication is direct. I show pictures. I explain the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ and give a logical rationale using non-medical words of how a disease affects [the patient’s] pregnancy,” and how the patient can facilitate a more healthful pregnancy. But not every patient likes to hear that she might have to work at the pregnancy or change certain behaviors, and some may be fearful or in denial, all of which can lead to a negative assessment of the provider.
Such appraisals may find their way online to doctor review sites. “I think often those are not necessarily reflective of the vast majority of experiences patients have,” Schaffir says, “because often views are posted by disgruntled patients or people who had limited experience with that provider.” So the idea is to take any reviews you read online with a grain of salt and try instead to talk to friends and family about their experiences with a specific provider.
Nevertheless, Schaffir says it can happen that a patient and a doctor may not be a great fit, and that’s OK. “Occasionally people just don’t gel. I think most people can get along with anyone, but sometimes you’ll see a provider and just find that their style or personality is just not one that matches yours. But there’s always the option of changing providers. I think that’s something we’re seeing more and more.” He recommends making an appointment and meeting “the provider in person to see what you think. That’s a good start,” and then assessing how you feel about how it went afterward.
When you head into that first meeting, Gaither recommends coming in armed with information about “your medical and surgical histories. It’s not wise to withhold information that may be pertinent to your physician establishing a health care plan.” Also have a list of your medications or bring them with you so your physician can have this information. “And know your family history,” Gaither says.
[See: How to Break 7 Unhealthy Habits.]
This medical history shouldn’t be confined just to pregnancy-related questions, either. “For instance, if your family has a history of people having blood clots, this is important information.” A blood clot can become a serious complication during pregnancy or birth, so if your doctor knows this, she can “evaluate you medically and genetically” to come up with a plan for avoiding or mitigating this potential problem before it happens.
When you find a good provider, hang on to him or her, “I think continuity is always great,” across multiple pregnancies, Schaffir says, because then you can build a relationship with a doctor “who knows you and is familiar with your history. I think that helps with your care.” For his part, he says “it’s very rewarding to have patients that I come to know and forge a relationship with and get to see them through multiple pregnancies. That’s one of the most rewarding parts of being an obstetrician.”
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How Can I Find the Best OB-GYN? originally appeared on usnews.com
