Choosing Your
OB/GYN
(A OB/GYN is a Dr. that specializes in female health care which includes fertility, conception, pregnancy, delivery,post pregnancy care and more)
Looking For A OB
Having a Obstetrician while you are trying to conceive and while
you are pregnant is very important. A Obstetrician a.k.a. OB is a
doctor the specializes in fertility, conception, prenatal care
and birth. Most women are advised to see their ob at least once a
year for a pap smear, a check up, and a breast exam to make sure
things are going right physically. If you don't have a OB yet
then that's ok. I didn't know anything about ob's until I was three
months pregnant with my daughter and my sister told me about them.
The best way to get a good OB that will help you with trying to
conceive and your pregnancy, is to talk to close relatives. Ask
your female relatives who they go to and if they would recommend
you going. That's pretty much how I met my ob. The best thing
about having a ob that a family member goes to is your ob will
have a better idea about your family medical history.
If you can't find a ob through a family member, here is a web
site were you can actually look up a OB in your state and area.
http://www.acog.org/member-lookup/
What Do I Do After I Find A OB?
After you find a OB in your area, give
his/her office a call, ask if he/she is accepting new patients
and if so ask if he/she is covered by your insurance. If he/she
is accepting new patients and is covered by your insurance, the
next step to take is explain to the nurse that you are trying to
conceive and would like to see the doctor for advice. Some times
the nurse can actually give you advice on conception without you
having to see the doctor.
What To Look For In A Good OB
Looking for a good OB is a lot like looking for a regular doctor. You're looking
for someone who will take as much time as needed to sit and listen to what you
have to say. A good OB will give you good explanations of what is going on with
you and your body and is willing to help you as much as possible and is willing
to work towards your goals especially by giving you options. A bad OB is one who
tries to rush you through your visit, will hardly listen
to anything you have to say or will get frustrated when you start
asking questions or have a concern. A bad OB will also seem to not be very
helpful as far as working for your goals. Recently I've talked to many women who
have come across a good example of the OB you want to avoid. One friend found
out she had a blocked fallopian tube, the OB did not give any suggestions as to
other options my friend had in reaching her goal for trying to conceive. She
went to another OB and he gave the option of surgery to clear it. Many women I
have talked to have also come across the age discriminatory OB. Mostly those who
are 19-24 are told by the age discriminatory OB that they are too young to try
for a baby don't offer much help if any. A good OB knows that when it comes to
anyone 18 or over seeking advice on trying to become pregnant they are not
allowed to discriminate.
When going to your OB it is always best that you
call a hour before your appointment to make sure your ob is on
time. I've come to realize that if you have to wait half a hour
or more in the waiting room, that doesn't always mean that you
have a bad ob. It means your ob may care to take more time with
his/her patients answering questions and concerns.