Finding a Doctor during Pregnancy
If you are currently seeing a gynecologist that you are comfortable with, you may also ask the doctor if he or she can care for you during pregnancy. Most gynecologists also practice obstetrics and one convenience that you can get from this is that you won’t have to work with two different doctors. This is particularly beneficial if your gynecologists attend births in a hospital that you like.
However, if your gynecologist may not be able to provide pregnancy care he or she can refer you to some other doctor instead. You may also ask family members or friends who have worked with an obstetrician that they can recommend. Other good sources of referrals are childbirth educators, healthcare providers or the internet.
If you live anywhere in Washington D.C., you may call the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists at 202-638-5577. They have a list of trusted and board-certified ob-gyns that you may choose from. Although most babies in the country are delivered by obstetricians, this job may also be done by certified nurse-midwives, direct-entry midwives, family physicians – just make sure that whomever you choose, you are comfortable.
Criteria for Choosing an Obstetrician
To help you out, you can write down the considerations you are looking for. Also, it can help narrow down your list if you call them first. To save more time, you do not have to meet a doctor that’s not in the network of your providers as required by your insurance company.
Some of the most important things to consider are the following:
Your health history
If you have any chronic illness like high blood pressure, epilepsy, diabetes, heart disease or any other complication that requires special attention, then do not hesitate to ask the doctor if he or she has experience in caring for a patient like you. Better yet, go with a doctor who specializes in high-risk births – perinatologist.
Doctor’s outlook
The doctor’s outlook about certain issues will help you determine if he or she is the right one for you. Take for example, what is his or her opinion of continuous fetal monitoring and episiotomy? Is it important or not? Feel free to ask any questions so that you’ll get a clear idea of the doctor’s general approach to care for pregnant women.
Compatibility
Time and again, it has been pointed out how important it is that you are comfortable with your doctor. Pregnancy is one of the most important milestones in your life but it can also be stressful in some ways. You have to be sure that your doctor is there to work with and care for you all the way! One of the things that you should consider is if you can easily communicate with him or her.