7 Tips for Finding the Right Ob-Gynecologist for Your Pregnancy

Ideally, every sexually active woman should already have one but in this diverse world of a hundred and one unique life situations, not everybody does.

The most common advice you'll get is to choose an Ob Gyn you feel you can trust and would be comfortable with. Well, yes that's totally important, but you won't be able to tell unless you find someone first, right?

Here are a some pointers tips to help you along:

1.Create a list of Ob Gyn specialists in your area. Between your mother and girlfriend(s), you will already have a decent list of Ob gyn physicians, all very highly recommended. BUT! You only want those near you because you expect to visit them quite regularly and you wouldn't want to be driving long distances in your condition. AND! It won't hurt to add to your list.

- Request names of board certified Ob-gynecologists from your local medical society, or check with The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Their website http://www.acog.org provides a database to help you identify ob-gynecologists in your area. These 2 methods are rather impersonal, and as pregnancy is a very, very personal matter, most women will not bother. This will also require a lot more research on your part, but in any case, it's good to know they're there.

- Ask your health insurance carrier for limitations of your plan. Can you elect your own Ob-gyn or will they limit you to their own list of recommendations?

2.Now trim down this doctor list according to your personal preferences, including but not limited to:

- Gender. Remember, a male Ob-Gynecologist is required to have a female nurse present during gynecological examinations.

- Openings. It would be pointless to consider those Ob-gyns who have no openings for new patients. A quick call to the ob gyn clinic should give you this information. And while you're on this call, find out at which hospital(s) the doctor delivers.

- Reputation. Check for any malpractice suits or disciplinary sanctions. These kinds of information, available from most state health departments, include suspension or revocation of an Ob-gyn's medical license in another state and/or involvement in any sexual abuse.

- Credentials. So if this Ob-Gyn has no skeletons in his medical closet, how about feathers in his cap? If the Ob-Gyn is a well recognized authority in this field, or is quite well-known for some other (good) reason, and if it matters to you, then go ahead and dig up all the awards and recognitions he has ever received.

3.Create a list of hospitals. Consider the following:

- Proximity. Is it within a comfortable distance from your home or work place.

- Facilities and Policies. Check which ones matter to you. Is it one of those huge hospitals where you can get lost in, or is it a private, family practice? Does it have a state of the art NICU? Does it have facilities to support alternative birthing methods? How good is its neonatal/perinatal care, etc.

- Your health plan coverage. Will your health plan provider cover your delivery there or will you have to cough up your own money?

4.Cross match your doctors against your hospitals. Perhaps a few of the Ob-gyns in your list are not affiliated with any of the hospitals that you want to deliver in, so you should drop them from the running. Most doctors however will have privileges in multiple hospitals, so you should be able to find a few good matches and finally come up with a shortlist.

5.Meet the doctors in your shortlist. Nothing beats a personal interaction with your would-be Obstetrician Gynecologist. By the end of your visit, you will have a very good idea if you want to go back or not. Ask these questions and then some:

- What birthing methods do they encourage and practice? Traditional-gut-wrenching-I-want-to-experience-the-pain-of-motherhood method? Bradley or Lamaze? Epidural? C-sections only? The new-age methods like yoga, hypnosis, water birth, acupressure, etc? You need to be able to talk to your doctor about this issue, as it should be one of the major factors that will influence your choice of an Ob-Gyn.

- Are they available to take calls during emergencies? If not, who will cover for them? Are they reliable?

- Does the Ob-Gyn work with others in a practice? Ask to meet all members of the team if there's a possibility at all that they will get involved in your care. When the time comes for you to deliver, you wouldn't want to be in the hands of a complete stranger. That is the reason you are going to all this trouble in the first place.

6.Think back, review your notes and be ready to make a decision.

- What did you think of the Ob-gyns you met? Pleasantly professional? Abrupt? Soft-spoken? Motherly? Fatherly? Drill Sergeant-like? Curt? Patient? Didn't smile one bit? Had a phony smile fixed on?

- Were you comfortable? Whom did you think you can trust?

- Were you given enough time to ask all of your questions or couldn't they wait to let you leave so the next patient can come in?

- How did the other clinic staff treat you? Were they efficient? Were they friendly and respectful?

- Overall, did you have a pleasantly reassuring visit?

- Would you go back to this Ob-gyn again?

7.Go with your gut-feel. Choosing an Ob-gyn for you and your baby should be made from the heart. Be assured though that you are making an informed decision.