Post # 1
Member
456 posts
Helper bee
I LOVE my gyn, and i am devastated to learn that she has stopped doing obstetrics, meaning i need to find a new doc. so here’s my question: i have my annual appt coming up in march, and was planning on starting TTC around that time. Is it still appropriate to see her for that appt? or should i look for an OB and make an appt with her? Do i wait until i’m actually pregnant and then go looking for a doc? what if i’m pregnant by that time?
would love some advice here. i have no clue how to go about finding an OB, how long i’ll likely have to wait for an appt (if i’m already pregnant, i’m guessing they have to fit me in!), and just what exactly is the line between a GYN and an OB. Will a GYN do prescreening and stuff? I honestly never knew there were GYN that didn’t do OB!
Has anyone else had to make this switch?
Post # 3
Member
228 posts
Helper bee
I had to switch after 12 weeks. My GYN told me she was no longer doing deliveries but she did my initial screening – pg test, hcg and progesterone, as well as 8 week and 12 week internal ultrasounds. She then recommended a bunch of doctors and practices in the area. Perhaps yours would do the same?
Post # 4
Member
11418 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
@esqbee:
Because of the extremely high cost of malpractice insurance for physicians who deliver babies, it’s now quite common for GYNs to stop handling OB services. However, it’s likely that you could remain with your current physician until after you are pregnant, and she could then refer you to a colleague who takes OB patients.
Post # 5
Member
4518 posts
Honey bee
My gynecologist doesn’t do obstetrics, either. I did all my pre-screening stuff with her, and when I did get pregnant, she referred me to an obstetrician. Yours will do the same for you. If you don’t like the OB she refers you to, you can do research and find your own — by looking at the hospital/center where you want to deliver and seeing what doctors are there, what insurance they take, etc.
Post # 6
Member
456 posts
Helper bee
@fancyfunction: that makes me feel better. i’m glad to hear your gyn did all of those things. I think i should keep that appt and maybe get some referrals from her then. I’d like to keep with her as long as possible, since she’s the only gyn i’ve ever liked (and i’ve been to quite a few!)
@Brielle: thanks for the explanation. it’s always about the liability, i should have realized that!
Post # 7
Member
456 posts
Helper bee
@stillme: yea, i find the whole “choosing a hospital” aspect overwhelming. i’m in NYC, so i feel like there are too many choices! plus, my insurance is very good, so most docs take it. did you actually visit the hospitals to check them out? or just read reviews?
Post # 8
Member
4518 posts
Honey bee
@esqbee: I’m in NYC, too. I have decided to deliver at the hospital where my gyn is (St. Luke’s Roosevelt near Columbus Circle). It was an easy choice because I’m already used to going there and am in their system, and I’ve had friends who delivered there and had good experiences. I also like their seemingly liberal attitutde toward delivery, the fact that they have a birthing center, etc.
Post # 9
Member
11418 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
There are other reasons, too. Many GYN surgeons chose to focus their practices on complex GYN surgeries and GYN oncology. However, many former OB/GYNs have dropped the OB portions of their practices because of the astronomical cost of the insurance.
Post # 10
Member
456 posts
Helper bee
@stillme: ha, i’d love to deliver at that hospital if only because it’s a few blocks from me. otherwise, i don’t know anything about it (i’ve been lucky enough to avoid hospitals for a while). my PCP recommends all docs that are at NYU, and my gyn is down there, so i’m guessing she prob will as well. i just envision being in labor and stuck in traffic for an hour trying to get down there! though i realize that’s not the most important thing about choosing a hospital, they are all close enough. i’ll have to do some research!
Post # 11
Member
4518 posts
Honey bee
@esqbee: Ooh, if you’re close to Columbus Circle, I would definitely at least check out St. Luke’s Roosevelt… I wish I lived closer to it! I’ve had a great experience so far with my OB, and like I said, my friends who delivered there recommended it, too.
http://www.nywomenshealth.com/giving-birth-with-us-st-lukes-hospital-new-york.htm
This is my silly complaint-that’s-not-a-complaint about NYC: there are way too many good options for everything! Sometimes I’m like, I going to simplify my life and live in a place that has 1 good restaurant, 1 bar, 1 hospital… haha. 🙂
Post # 12
Member
456 posts
Helper bee
@stillme: ha, so true! of course, it’s also funny how there are so many bars, restaurants, etc. and yet we somehow end up going to the same places over and over again, since they are close. and yet, maybe we’d branch out if it wasn’t so damn hard to research the best places! the hospital looks great, and the location can’t be beat for me!
Post # 13
Member
4582 posts
Honey bee
I hadn’t seen an actual GYN in years (was seeing my PCP for any lady issues), so I didn’t get established with an OB until after I was already pregnant. I wasn’t sure where to begin in looking for one either, so I based it on where I wanted to deliver my baby. I knew I wanted to deliver at hospital X because it’s local and convenient, so I researched which OBs deliver there and chose one based on the facts that a) she’s female and b) she’s been practicing for 30 years.
