The ob-gyn you choose during the important period of your pregnancy plays a crucial role in assisting and guiding you through this precarious period. For the next nine months, they will be your physician, adviser, and support system. They will be with your every step of the way to help you have a safe pregnancy and a healthy baby.
It’s easy to see how important it is to choose the right ob-gyn. That said, here are a few tips to keep in mind when finding the best doctor to help you through your pregnancy.
Narrow Down Your Options
There are likely hundreds of ob-gyns to choose from in your state, an overwhelming number for a soon-to-be mom who’s already got a lot on her plate. Fortunately, you can narrow down your options by doing a few things.
One, you can check your insurance plan. Consult your insurance provider to know who’s on its network of ob-gyns. Choosing a doctor in the network saves you the effort of looking through the list of practitioners in your area. Selecting an in-network ob-gyn will also help you save on prenatal and medical care costs.
Another way is to pick a hospital where you will have your prenatal checks and deliver your baby and then choose an ob-gyn from its list of practitioners.
Many women like to take a more personal approach by asking their family and friends, especially those who recently gave birth, for ob-gyn recommendations. If your family member or best friend feels comfortable and gets along with their ob-gyn, there’s a higher chance that you’ll be compatible with them too.
Some women also ask their general physician to suggest an ob-gyn on the premise that their doctor will choose someone with whom they’re confident and share a similar outlook on specific medical aspects.
Suppose you’re not satisfied with what you have so far. In that case, you can also search at the American Medical Association site or American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Physician Directory for more comprehensive lists of practitioners to choose from.
Look Up the Ob-gyn
Having looked at the sources mentioned above, you must have a narrowed-down list of ob-gyns who will potentially suit you. The next step is to do a more thorough check on people on your list.
Go online to search and read about patient experience and reviews on the doctors on your list. Visit websites like Health Grades, Share Care, and Vitals to find patient feedback on hundreds and thousands of physicians all over the United States.
If you know people who’ve used a doctor on your list, talk with them and ask them about their experience working with that practitioner.
People in the same field tend to know one another, so if you have friends who are medical professionals, try asking them about the doctors on your list. They may be able to give you insider information about this.
Determine Your Compatibility
Finding the right ob-gyn is very much like finding a partner. You need to check whether you’re compatible in many areas, especially in your beliefs and attitudes toward issues that are important to you. Your compatibility with your ob-gyn will factor in your comfortability and trust in them.
That said, ask yourself these questions to determine whether the ob-gyn you choose is the right one for you:
- Are you comfortable with the doctor?
- Do you feel at ease communicating your thoughts and concerns with them?
- Do they help you understand complicated medical concepts or just gloss over things?
- Do they listen to your thoughts and preferences?
- Do you feel their genuine interest in you and your baby?
- Do your ideas on pain management, having a doula, vaginal birth versus C-section, etc. match?
Don’t hesitate to talk with the ob-gyn about what you want with your pregnancy. Whether or not they agree with your opinion, they should listen to you and help you weigh the safest and best option for you and your baby. You should never feel like you’re being judged and patronized for looking out for yourself and your child.
Final Words
Choosing the right ob-gyn is a crucial step in ensuring a healthy pregnancy. Growing a human being in you is nerve-wracking and harrowing, but having a doctor who is genuinely looking out for you can lessen the fear and pressure you feel. Pregnancy is usually a happy and exciting journey for would-be-parents, and it can be made more pleasant and delightful with the help of an ob-gyn whom you can trust.
