When you decide to try to conceive—or maybe you’re already pregnant—choosing a provider to care for you and your growing baby can feel like a big. deal. Some mamas-to-be choose to continue on with their current gynecologist or family medicine provider for pregnancy care. Others opt to seek care with a new provider. And while there are a number of factors involved in this decision, we’ve narrowed down eight of the most important things to consider when choosing an OB/GYN, midwife, or other provider for pregnancy care.
1. Your Insurance
First thing’s first. Which providers and practices are in your network? A great place to start the search for any health-care provider is your health insurer’s website. Insurance providers typically have a searchable list of providers in-network, or you can make a phone call to check if care from a certain provider is covered.
While you’re at it, it’s a good time to see what your policy covers when it comes to your pregnancy, all the way through labor and delivery. Going into the process with this knowledge can prevent surprises when medical bills arrive.
2. Provider’s Reputation
Word of mouth is truly one of the most helpful ways to narrow down your list of providers. While your ideal experience during pregnancy (and women’s health care in general) might be different from others, it’s always great to know that someone you trust has been pleased about their care. Ask questions about their experiences—from medical care the whole way through bedside manner—to see if you think their provider could be a good fit for you too.
If you are new to an area or don’t have someone who can give a good recommendation, check out online reviews. Typically a well-loved provider will have a number of favorable reviews.
3. Provider’s Specialty and Title
It’s important to consider which kind of provider you’d prefer to work with throughout your pregnancy. Some practices have several providers on staff who have different titles and ways to manage your care. For instance, a certified midwife specializes in pregnancy and birth, and may focus more on providing holistic care and reducing medical interventions unless necessary. An OB/GYN (obstetrician and gynecologist) is a medical doctor who is also trained to perform surgeries such as C-sections, and has graduated from a medical school. In some cases, your family doctor may even provide care for pregnancy.
As you research, it can be helpful to read providers’ bios to see what their board certifications are, and if they have training or expertise in a certain facet of care. If you have any preexisting conditions, you might prefer a provider who specializes in that particular risk factor. For instance, if you know you’re at risk for gestational diabetes in your pregnancy, you might choose someone who specializes in this complication.
4. Your Hospital Preference
Before selecting a provider for your pregnancy, it’s important to know at which hospital they have admitting privileges—meaning, where they would deliver your baby. Many providers are affiliated with just one hospital, so it’s necessary to research your local hospitals too. Consider the location, reviews of the hospital itself, what their amenities for labor and delivery include, and whether or not they have a NICU onsite.
If you’re local to the Central Pennsylvania area, you can find a list of providers who deliver at Women & Babies Hospital.
5. Ease of Access to Your Provider
Pregnancy can be a time when you have a lot of questions and appointments. Ensuring that it’s easy to communicate with and visit your provider’s office can put you at ease. Things to look for include:
- Whether the provider has evening or weekend hours
- How to speak to someone on-call after hours
- Virtual visit capabilities
- A patient portal for appointment scheduling and messaging
- The ability to see other providers if yours is unavailable
6. Who Delivers Your Baby
It’s important to ask how your provider and their practice’s delivery schedule works. Many providers have a rotating hospital schedule, where the OB/GYN or midwife who is on-call at the time of your labor is who will deliver your baby. If you prefer to know the provider handling your delivery, a smaller practice where you’ve had a chance to meet all of the providers might be a better fit for you.
7. Alignment with Personal Beliefs and Wishes
There are a lot of factors that go into pregnancy care, and feeling aligned with your provider of choice throughout your pregnancy (and beyond) is key. While not a comprehensive list, you might want to consider things like your provider’s…
- Stance on pain management
- Philosophy on childbirth
- C-section rates
- Openness to natural alternatives
- Willingness to perform VBAC deliveries (vaginal birth after C-section)
- Opinions on access to reliable birth control after delivery
8. Personal Comfort and Instincts
Let’s face it: there is a lot about pregnancy and routine gynecological care that can be personal and even a bit uncomfortable at times. So it’s important to make sure you’re in the presence of someone who helps you feel at ease—and we’re not just talking about physical exams.
Your provider should be someone you feel comfortable talking with about topics from strange pregnancy symptoms all the way through birth control. Our biggest tip for choosing your provider: There’s a lot to be said about a woman’s intuition…trust your instincts!
Currently looking for a provider for your pregnancy? Find a provider who delivers at our nationally-recognized Women & Babies Hospital.