Pregnant which doctor to see

So when you choose a care provider, you're usually choosing the place where you'll give birth. Some doctors will agree to attend births at an in-hospital birth center if one is available; others won't. If you already know where you'd prefer to give birth - whether in a hospital, a birth center, or at home - it's a good idea to interview providers who practice in that particular setting.

The maternity services in the hospitals in your community may vary. For example, not all hospitals have an anesthesiologist in-house 24 hours a day, and only some have neonatal intensive care units something to consider if you have a high-risk pregnancy. And again, if you're hoping for a VBAC, make sure the hospital is on board. If your family is complete and you want a tubal ligation either after your vaginal delivery or during your planned c-section, make sure that your doctor and hospital perform these procedures.

Some religiously affiliated hospitals refuse to allow your providers to offer these options. Look into choosing a hospital for your baby's birth early in your pregnancy. Some women wait until the third trimester to find out about the hospital where they plan to give birth.

By that point, they've already developed a relationship with their provider, and making a change can be a hassle. If you feel you can, try to talk to the provider about your concerns. If your worries aren't addressed, don't hesitate to change doctors to someone who is a better fit for you. BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals.

We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Cleveland Clinic. Obstetric health care providers: Choosing one right for you. Horsager-Boehrer R. UT Southwestern Medical Center. Tufts Medical Center. How to choose an obstetrician. Join now to personalize. Photo credit: iStock. How to find an ob-gyn How to choose an ob-gyn How often will I see my ob-gyn for my prenatal appointments?

What are the chances that my ob-gyn will deliver my baby? How important is the hospital where the ob-gyn attends births? What should I do if I'm not happy with my ob-gyn? Find out what will happen and what you can learn during your first antenatal care visit with your GP or midwife. Our pregnancy guide has essential tips on antenatal care, healthy eating, exercise, morning sickness, your pregnant body, emotions, relationships and more.

Shared care is when you have some pregnancy appointments with your GP and some at hospital. Shared care can be good if you feel comfortable with your GP. The first trimester of your pregnancy can be a very exciting time. There are a few signs that may indicate pregnancy, but the only sure-fire way to know is to visit a doctor and have a pregnancy test.

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The information is not a substitute for independent professional advice and should not be used as an alternative to professional health care. If you have a particular medical problem, please consult a healthcare professional. For more information, please visit the links below:. You are welcome to continue browsing this site with this browser. Some features, tools or interaction may not work correctly. There is a total of 5 error s on this form, details are below. Please enter your name Please enter your email Your email is invalid.

Please check and try again Please enter recipient's email Recipient's email is invalid. Please check and try again Agree to Terms required. A prenatal care practitioner is a medical professional who cares for expectant women for the duration of their pregnancies.

This type of care is available from a number of different health providers, each with his or her own specific training and expertise.

The four main ones are:. An CNM is a medical professional who has completed accredited graduate-level programs in midwifery and passed a certification exam from the American Midwifery Certification Board to become licensed by the American College of Nurse-Midwives to practice in all 50 states and U.

CNMs are trained to care for women with low-risk pregnancies with the goal of reducing birth injury, trauma and cesarean section by providing individualized care and minimal technological intervention. This practitioner also handles primary health care needs, such as preconception advice, newborn care, family planning and treatment for STDs.

A CNM often focuses on more natural approaches to labor and delivery such as breathing techniques and hydrotherapy , and may be more likely than MDs to offer nutritional and breastfeeding support. CNMs work in hospitals and birthing centers though some perform home births , and in some settings they can prescribe epidurals and labor-inducing medication. Nearly all direct-entry midwives are certified professional midwives CPMs and are trained in midwifery without first becoming a nurse.

A CPM is often an independent practitioner who is educated via self-study, apprenticeship, a midwifery school, college or a university program separate from nursing. CPMs must have experience delivering babies at home as they perform these types of births much more than CNMs do, though some work in birthing centers. No matter which practitioner you choose, you might also want to consider hiring a doula as an add-on to your care.

Having a doula can be especially helpful if you want or need to work with an OB-GYN but are concerned about missing out on the more hands-on physical and emotional support midwives are known to provide. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.

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Healthy Lifestyle Pregnancy week by week. Products and services. Prenatal care: 1st trimester visits Pregnancy and prenatal care go hand in hand. By Mayo Clinic Staff. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Lockwood CJ, et al. Prenatal care: Initial assessment. Accessed July 9, Prenatal care and tests.