Mama Talks: Choosing a Quality OBGYN

Let's face it, your OBGYN gets access to your most sensitive and vulnerable information and medical care. So it is so important to find a great one. This is especially true for anyone who has any special medical concerns or conditions.

I recently had an awful OBGYN visit that led me to look for a new OBGYN. I am maybe overreacting, but I felt very disrespected and uncomfortable, which is not conducive to a good doctor/patient relationship. Essentially, I was left undressed on an exam table for an hour with no one coming in to the room to even check on me or let me know they were running behind. After this experience, I realized that there were a few things that I had not liked about this doctor and practice throughout the last couple of years I had been going, but I had ignored them because they were minor issues. I finally hit the point though where I no longer felt comfortable talking with the provider, and this led me to deciding to find a new OBGYN.

I will say I do have some medical concerns that make it very important to find a provider that I really like, who fits well with my personality, and has the qualifications needed to support my medical needs. While my husband and I were trying to conceive, I was diagnosed with PCOS. During my pregnancy, I had gestational diabetes and I went into pre-term labor, which means any future pregnancies are going to be at higher risk. So I want to find a doctor who I feel has the expertise to support these conditions and who I feel 100% comfortable talking to, so I can discuss issues I am having (wether pregnant or not!).

When I started looking into what I should look for in a new OBGYN, I realized that other women may have similar concerns (some of the statistics I read when doing some light research were alarming regarding women feeling comfortable with their OBGYN provider). So I want to share some of the information I found with you in hopes it helps your get the excellent medical you deserve.

Tips for Finding the Right Provider for You

According to Healthline and US News, you should consider the following when looking for an OBGYN.

1. Find doctors in your network, so your insurance will cover your visits.

2. Ask friends, families, and co-workers for recommendations

3. Consider how far you will have to drive

4. Consider their office hours and your schedule - do you need to try to find an office that offers hours outside of normal business hours?

5. What hospitals does the doctor have privileges at? -- After my experience with my son, I would now only choose a doctor who uses a hospital with a NICU because I want to avoid having my baby transferred to another hospital if they need NICU care.

6. Check what certifications your doctor has - you want a board-certified doctor (they have to stay up-to-date on the latest medical information in addition to extra education in that area). If you have certain risk factors or medical conditions, you want to find a doctor who specializes and has experience with it.

7. Check if your doctor is comfortable addressing mental health and wellness

8. Check to see if your doctor educates women in your community and is involved in the community.

9. Consider if you like the whole practice - if your doctor is not available, you may see another doctor in the practice. For annual checkups, you may see a nurse practitioner in the practice, not your doctor. Additionally, most of your interaction will likely be with the nurses and office staff, so you want to make sure they are pleasant, professional, and competent.

10. Consider if you feel comfortable talking with your doctor - you will have to discuss sensitive information so it is important to feel comfortable. This means finding a doctor whose personality and communication style work well with yours.

11. Some really important issues to consider when looking for an OBGYN who has similar views as you are:

    • Pain management

    • Holistic care

    • Access to reliable birth control

    • Would your doctor consider a vaginal birth after a c-section?

    • Your doctor's view on abortion

    • How sex-positive is your doctor?

      • What is a sex-positive doctor? Someone who encourages a healthy sex-life.

12. It is okay to change doctors if your doctor is not the right fit after you meet them.

I hope this helps you find a doctor who you love and provides excellent medical care.

Remember Mama, you are doing a great job! You got this!