How to Find the Right Ob-Gyn During Pregnancy

Here at The Bump, we often encourage you to check in with your healthcare provider for personalized guidance during pregnancy and beyond. But who that provider is makes a big difference for your pregnancy experience. Whether you’re preparing for pregnancy or already expecting and wondering what to ask at your first prenatal visit, there are several important considerations when it comes to finding an OB in pregnancy.

When I was pregnant with my son, who’s now 3, I chose one of the largest practices in my area because they delivered at the hospital where I wanted to give birth. It was convenient because they always had appointments available, I could always reach someone and there were multiple locations. That said, my experience wasn’t particularly personal. For practically every ob-gyn appointment, I met a different doctor. This means no doctor really got to know me—they were just routine checkups. I can imagine I’d feel really frustrated with that if I had had severe pregnancy complications.

You, too, may have to make some tradeoffs during your search for the right ob-gyn. But overall, it’s important that you’re comfortable with your doctor’s experience, feel they listen to your symptoms and understand your birth plan. And, of course, that you’re happy with their size, location and insurance policies. Read on for expert advice on what other key questions to ask when it comes to how to find the right ob-gyn during pregnancy.

1. Midwife or OB?

When choosing between a midwife and an OB, consider your health history and birth preferences, says Skyler Jacobs, CNM, a certified nurse midwife with Modern Obstetrics and Gynecology of North Atlanta and the founder of Well & Worthy Co.. “Midwives specialize in lower-risk pregnancies and are well-versed in labor with and without interventions and vaginal deliveries,” she says. “Obstetricians specialize in high-risk pregnancies and can deliver babies via both vaginal and cesarean birth.”

Many ob-gyn practices today have both midwives and ob-gyns on-staff to accommodate both high- and low-risk pregnancies, Jacobs adds.

2. Is Your Pregnancy High-Risk?

The team of doctors at my ob-gyn practice was very experienced with over 35 pregnancies (I was 36), as well as inductions and C-sections, which made me feel like I was in the right hands.

Christine Greves, MD, FACOG, an ob-gyn at the Orlando Health Women’s Institute, says that if you’re high-risk—meaning over 35, have previous medical conditions or had complications with a previous pregnancy—your practice will likely recommend a maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialist. An MFM specialist, aka perinatologist, is an ob-gyn with extra training in high-risk pregnancies.

If you’ve had a pregnancy loss or another complication, Bump reader BzeetyD suggests that “being in or very near a hospital with a good NICU could be important and reassuring.”

3. What’s Your Doctor’s Communication Style?

There are certain intangibles that really help when it comes to how to find a doctor for pregnancy. Since I worked with several different doctors, I learned what I like (answers messages outside of visits, explains things in detail and listens) and what I don’t like (doesn’t answer messages, is abrupt, etc.). It’s a good idea, if at all possible, to find a doctor you vibe with—who you can tell about all your weirdest pregnancy symptoms, for example.

“You should be at peace,” says Greves. “You should feel comfortable.” She adds that if you’re currently seeing an ob-gyn for your regular gynecology check-ups, you might consider staying with them if you feel like you have a connection and they fit your pregnancy needs. “One of the beautiful aspects of being an ob-gyn is that you get to be there for the entire journey of the woman,” Greves says.

4. Where Will You Deliver?

At your first visit, it’s a good idea to ask about your practice’s protocol when it comes to labor and delivery. If there’s a particular hospital where you’d like to deliver, make sure your practice works with them. As far as who your delivery doctor is, if you’re scheduled for an induction or C-section, you’ll probably find out beforehand—but otherwise, you’ll likely have to go with who’s on call. (I met my delivery doctor at 5 a.m.!)

“It’s now very rare that the ob-gyn taking care of you during your antepartum journey is going to be delivering you,” explains Greves. “Because now, we have hospitalists, or we have designated call days because we’re in the office. I’m on call twice a month, meaning if my patients are there, I get to deliver them. But if I’m not on call, I’m not necessarily going to be there.” If who your delivery doc is matters to you, make sure you ask ahead of time.

5. Does Your Doctor Align with Your Birth Preferences?

When choosing an ob-gyn—particularly if you also expect them to be your delivery doctor—it helps to ask about their stance on epidurals vs. unmedicated birth, C-section rates, willingness to perform a VBAC (vaginal birth after C-section)—basically, whatever matters to you when it comes to baby’s birth.

6. How Big Is the Practice and How Close to You?

In a small practice, you might only see one or two doctors, while in a larger practice you might rotate from provider to provider depending on their availability. In Greves’ personal practice, she has one partner, who may cover with her patients when she’s out of town. “That’s what’s important to a lot of my patients, getting to have that relationship,” she says. “As an ob-gyn, I love seeing that person week after week.”

Also pay attention to whether the practice is close to your home or work, says Greves. When I was in the second trimester and still had energy, I would happily walk the 35 minutes to my downtown practice. But as my belly got (much) bigger (eliciting a few too many “Are you having twins?” comments), I was more than happy to get in the car and drive to either of their two locations faster.

7. What Will Insurance Cover?

Make sure to check which providers and practices are in your network. You can start by searching your health insurance company’s website, or give the particular ob-gyn you’d like to work with a call to see if they accept your insurance. It’s also a good idea to see what your policy covers when it comes to pregnancy in order to prevent surprise medical bills, says Penn Medicine.

If you don’t have health insurance, you can look at options including Medicaid, your local health department and nonprofit organizations—see Lamaze International for a guide.

To get started looking for the right ob-gyn, you can ask your primary care doctor or another provider you trust for a recommendation, talk to friends or use the “find a doctor” tool on your local hospital’s website. No matter how you find your doctor, be sure to go with your intuition—and, again, find someone who makes you feel calm and confident. If you do your homework, you’re sure to find a great provider who will guide you through your pregnancy journey.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.