When trying to find a doctor when your pregnant, what are some questions you should ask?

Question

I have a doctor, but how do I know she is the right one and how do I find out?

Well I have already had my first visit, but didnt ask her anything. So would it be rude to drill her on the second visit?

Answer 1

The first things to check--does she deliver at the hospital you want to use and does she take your insurance.
To get further info talk to her during your next appt or just call her office and talk to one of the nurses. Ask things like--Who covers for her when she is away and will she be there during the delivery or will you just get the doctor on call. Ask about vaginal vs c-section birth rates. Ask what interventions she commonly uses--episiotomy is a big one to ask about, and anything else that is important to you.

Answer 2

Ask:

How much experience she has had
What are her degrees?
Is she available for contact 24/7?
When are her holidays? (if you are due while she is on holidays, it wont be her delivering)
what info does she have for you now (baby info and pregnancy)
What reading does she suggest you do?
How long have you known this doc?
Has she been referred to you by someone who had a child? if so, then that person would know they are good
Are they close to home?
Do they make home visits?
In an emergency/after hours can they come home to visit?
You have to feel right with the doc, and comfortable. You should be able to tell this doc any problems you may experience, even if it is a simple thing.

I would ask the above.

Good luck

Answer 3

Whatever phase of life a woman is in, from her teens to menopause, she's likely to have intimate discussions with her gynecologist or obstetrician. Finding a doctor you trust isn't always easy. And when you move or your health insurance changes, finding a new doctor can be tricky and time-consuming.

Physicians who specialize in obstetrics and gynecology are focused on women's health, including prenatal care and birth. Many insurance plans allow women to select an obstetrician-gynecologist as their primary care doctor. Other plans, though, require your primary care doctor to be an internist or general practitioner, and require you to get a referral in order to see an ob-gyn.

Your Values or Mine?

Before choosing a new doctor, consider the results of a new study reported in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. Researchers found that how your health care provider lives her own life affects the medical care you receive -- and perhaps even the suggestions you get about contraception. Erica Frank, M.D., M.P.H., of Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, examined contraceptive use by female physicians. One of Frank's findings was that female physicians were more likely to delay their pregnancies, and were more likely than women in the general population to use contraceptives.

But don't choose solely by gender, suggests William H. Parker, M.D., Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Santa Monica/UCLA Medical Center. "Consider his or her levels of skill, kindness, and compassion, combined with his or her personality." If you're uncomfortable with the treatment you're getting, he adds, you shouldn't be afraid to change providers.

Twenty Questions

To find a new ob-gyn, Parker suggests calling a nearby reputable hospital and asking to speak to the head nurse in either obstetrics or gynecology, depending on your needs. Then explain your situation and ask for a recommendation. According to Parker, "Nurses see doctors at their best and worst. If you find a nurse who's willing to make an honest recommendation, you'll be in good stead."

To be a well-informed patient, you need -- and have the right -- to know certain things. Here are some general questions you can ask once you arrive for your appointment:

* How long have you been in practice?
* When and where did you receive your training?
* Are you board-certified?
* Why did you decide to become an ob-gyn?
* Are there any patients I may call, as well as medical colleagues, for references?
* What tests do you usually perform on a woman with my background (age, history, etc.)?
* Do you return calls personally, or will the nurse or receptionist do the callbacks?

Your Individual Needs

If you're choosing your first ob-gyn, you might ask what type of birth control the provider uses and his or her philosophy on safer sex. If you're approaching your childbearing years, you could ask about how many babies she delivers, whether she's a parent herself, and with whom she shares on-call duties. And if you're just beginning menopause, you might want to know his philosophies on hormone replacement therapy as well as complementary medicine.

You can also check up on the doctor by contacting your state's medical board; often the board will release information through a Web site or toll-free number.

According to nurse practitioner Anita Levine-Goldberg, "There's nothing wrong with interviewing a provider during your first appointment." Levine-Goldberg, who is a representative to Kaiser Permanente's Nurse Practitioner Committee, Northern California, adds, "It's good practice to pose a specific question about your ob-gyn needs and then see how the provider responds. You have to feel comfortable with your doctor or nurse practitioner in order to get the quality care you deserve."


Some questions I asked:

Their view on episiotomy
Will they induce and when?
Will they be with you through your delivery or will it be mostly nurses and staff?