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Male or Female OB/GYN?

What to Consider When Making This Decision

By Teri Brown

According to Sember, many women feel that female doctors understand what pregnancy is like emotionally and physically in a way men cannot. They also sometimes feel they would be more comfortable having the exams done by a woman and that they might be more comfortable during delivery with a female doctor. "There is often a perception that female doctors are more sensitive and responsive to patient needs," Sember says.

This is not always the case, though. Joanna Milsap from Redlands, Calif., was very disappointed in her female OB/GYN. "I did purposely seek a female OB/GYN during my pregnancy with my daughter three years ago," she says. "Unfortunately, I discovered that she bought in [to] the very mindset that I was trying to avoid when I chose a female doctor. So I went to a certified nurse midwife in a freestanding clinic in my town – the only one of its kind in this part of California. It was a wonderful experience."

Dr. Adelaide G. Nardone, an OB/GYN and the medical advisor to the Vagisil Women's Health Center, says that while many women would prefer a female OB/GYN, others may want a man. It depends on the woman and what they are looking for in their doctor

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