How to Pick Your Obstetrician and Questions to Ask!

By
Shannon M. Clark, MD
|
July 27, 2020
How to Pick Your Obstetrician and Questions to Ask!

Dr. Shannon M. Clark discusses how to pick your obstetrician and questions to ask! Below are a few questions addressed. Watch the entire video at the end!

  1. Get Referrals and ask friends and family, but be cautious of on-line patient reviews. You can also ask your insurance company what providers are covered by your insurance plan
  2. Decide what kind of practitioner you want: An ObGyn (MD or DO), Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
  3. Research the Obstetrician/Gynecologist’s Credentials
  4. Pick a practice and hospital
  5. Look at your insurance and understand your costs upfront
  6. Consider your health history
  7. Who will see me during my prenatal visits? How often do I need to see you during my pregnancy?
  8. Who will deliver my baby?
  9. If I or my baby has complications, how will they be handled?
  10. Can we discuss/review my birth plan? What is your preferred format?
  11. Ask about the doctor’s and delivery team’s philosophies on issues that are important to you, such as:
  • Elective induction of labor after 39 weeks’ gestation
  • Continuous electronic fetal heart rate monitoring
  • Pain management
  • Having a doula present or a birth plan in place
  • Vaginal delivery if you’ve had a C-section in the past (VBAC)
  • Their availability for questions during and after office hours
  • Operative deliveries
  • Episiotomies
  • Breastfeeding support
  • Childbirth and parenting classes offered

Shannon M. Clark, MD

Shannon M. Clark, MD

Shannon M. Clark, MD, MMS is a double board certified ObGyn and Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist, and founder of Babies After 35. In her roles as a clinician, educator and researcher at UTMB-Galveston, she focuses on the care of people with maternal and/or fetal complications of pregnancy. Dr. Clark has taken a special interest in pregnancy after the age of 35, which according to age alone, is considered a high-risk pregnancy.

Follow Shannon on TikTok @tiktokbabydoc, Facebook @babiesafter35, and Instagram @babiesafter35.

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