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.