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Choosing a Healthcare Provider
By  Lori Ramsey of Stages-inPregnancy.com

Choosing the right healthcare provider when you see that first positive home pregnancy test is very important.  Most women have 3 choices – 1.  To go it alone (which I do NOT recommend)  2.  a doctor or 3.  a midwife.  Much depends on where you plan to give birth-- at home, in a birthing center or in a hospital.  You will not find a doctor that will come to your home, so those choices limit who you can have as a healthcare provider.

DOCTORS

A doctor that has their training in pregnancy is called an obstetrician.  Most are both obstetricians and gynecologist (doctors that specialize in women’s reproductive health) are also called an OB/GYN.  Family practitioners and general doctors can also treat pregnant women.

Seeing a doctor has many advantages.  Their education and expertise alone make this choice a good one.  They can handle most any emergency or  high risk situation should they arise.  They can also administer pain relief medications during labor and delivery – which some women want and need.  They don’t have to answer to others in an emergency and can handle most all situations that can develop with a pregnancy.

Some women feel that a doctor’s lack of personal attention is a huge disadvantage.  It’s because most doctor’s see many patients every day and they only have a few minutes with each one.  During the labor, a mom will not be seen by the doctor except maybe briefly – until the pushing stage.  Many jokes are made about how doctors arrive in time to “catch the baby.”  And another huge disadvantage is the high cost of medical care when using a doctor.

It’s the personal attention that midwives can give that makes them so appealing to a lot of women.  Freedom from invasive medical procedures are also a plus if you are seeking a drug-free, all natural birth.  Most midwives are able to be with their patients from the onset of labor until after the birth and are also less expensive than a medical doctor.

There are varying degrees of midwives from direct-entry who receive their education from hands-on experience and testing to certified nurse midwives who are actually a registered nurse.  Even though you have ones with college degrees they are still unable to do what a true doctor can do – provide medical intervention should it be needed.  Normally if a problem crops up you will be referred to a doctor for care.  And, of course, there are no choices for pain relief during labor such as the use of drugs like Demerol or having an epidural.

Which one you choose is up to you.  You need to decide what your preferences are – and give very careful thought about with whom you would feel the most comfortable.  Other important factors to consider are your state of health, and how previous pregnancies progressed.

Contributed by Lori Ramsey of Stages in Pregnancy.
All rights reserved ©Lori Ramsey, no reproduction allowed.