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Is a Gynecologist or Internal Medicine Specialist Best for Me?

Hi,

I am 4-5 weeks pregnant and my doctor is specialized in internal medicine. Once I told her that I took two pregnancy tests and that I missed my period she asked me to come for a blood tests and to start taking folic acid.

My doctor is very good doctor but since I am pregnant, I should switch to a gynecologist or should I continue with her?

Thank you.

ANSWER

You will need to make a change, since internal medicine doctors do not attend deliveries.

I strongly suggest that you interview at least three providers before you make a decision, and that you include at least one MD and one midwife. This is a huge decison that may affect the rest of your life (and your baby's), so it is important to choose someone whose philosophy and outcome statistics are consistent with what you want.

Good luck!
~Cynthia

Cynthia Flynn

Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, is the General Director of the Family Health and Birth Center which provides prenatal, birth, postnatal, gynecological and primary health care to underserved women and their families in Washington, D.C. Recently Cynthia served as Associate Professor of Nursing at Seattle University. There she not only taught, but remained in full scope clinical midwifery practice at Valley Medical Center where she cared for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.