Choosing Your Obstetrician

Top 5 questions you need to ask yourself before choosing your obstetrician:

1 – Your health history

Do you have any chronic illnesses ­– such as high blood pressure, epilepsy, heart disease, or diabetes – or previous complications that may require special care? If so, ask the obstetrician you’re considering what experience they have caring for patients like you, and consider whether you should be cared for by a perinatologist (a doctor who specializes in high-risk births). If you’ve previously had a c-section, would you like to try to have a vaginal birth this time? In that case, you’ll want to make sure that both the provider and the hospital are supportive of vaginal birth after cesarean.

2 – The obstetrician outlook

Find out the doctor’s attitude about issues that may be important to you, such as the routine use of interventions like IVs, continuous electronic fetal monitoring, and episiotomy. You can’t predict what your individual situation will require, but you can get an idea of the general approach to care and practice patterns from the doctor’s responses to these questions.

3 – Is the obstetrician supportive of natural childbirth, if that’s what you’re interested in?

Your birth is your experience. Finding a doctor and team that supports and respects your wishes for birth is important to making the most of your pregnancy experience.

4 – Is breastfeeding encouraged?

5 – Compatibility

Pregnancy and childbirth are exciting, but they can also be stressful. So the best healthcare partner is one you feel comfortable with and can communicate with easily. It helps to ask yourself questions like these:

• How comfortable do you feel with the doctor?
• Do you find it easy to ask questions of the doctor?
• Does the doctor explain things clearly and completely?
• Does the doctor seem interested in you personally?
• Does the doctor seem like someone who will respect your wishes?

And most importantly you need to ensure that you are getting the best Sunshine Coast Obstetrician for you and your baby. An OB is not there as a friend but as a medical practitioner who looks after the best interests of you and your baby. The team at Sunshine Coast Coastal IVF believe that we fulfill these services as a highly reputable gynecologist, obstetrician and fertility specialist team which consists of Dr Paul Stokes, Obstetrician – Dr Rob North, and his specialist nurse, clinical director, fitness instructor and online private facebook group to support patients of all levels.

If you are looking for private obstetric services or for a specialist team for the best care, make an appointment to meet our team!