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So you’re pregnant – or hoping to get pregnant! – and you’re looking for a good Ob-Gyn who will make your pregnancy as smooth-sailing as possible. How do you choose the right Ob-Gyn, and what are some of the factors that you should take into consideration? In this article, we answer all that, and more!
Before we get started: make sure you look at obstetrician-gynaecologists (also known as Ob-Gyns) as opposed to just gynaecologists. While gynaecologists specialize in women’s reproductive issues, obstetrician-gynaecologists are specialists who have particular expertise in pregnancy and childbirth. If you enlist a help of a gynaecologist in getting pregnant, you’ll still have to look for an Ob-Gyn when it’s time for you to deliver. So save yourself the hassle, and just deal with an Ob-Gyn from the get go!
#1: Determine your budget
Here in Singapore, a single ob-gyn visit will probably cost you $120 to $200. You’ll need to see your doctor at least once a month, so that will add up to over a thousand bucks at the very least. Then there’s the ob-gyn fees you’ll have to pay for the actual delivery – a basic delivery might cost you upwards of $1,500, but you’ll have to fork out extra if you have an assisted delivery or C-section.
Do your homework, and ring up the clinics to get a more accurate idea of the costs involved. If you’re insured, you can significantly cut down on the amount you’ll have to fork out by opting for an Ob-Gyn who’s covered by your insurance plan.
#2: Look at clinic locations
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Much as we’d like our pregnancies to be fuss-free, most women do have to deal with unexpected situations. Maybe you’re spotting, or your baby suddenly stops kicking. These scenarios can be pretty harrowing, and you might want to choose an Ob-Gyn whose clinic is nearby your home so that you can make an impromptu visit as and when it’s necessary.
Running in the same vein, do also enquire whether the Ob-Gyn you’re thinking of engaging only delivers at a particular hospital. If this is the case, then you might have to pay extra to get the doctor to deliver at a hospital that’s nearer to you.
#3: Consider the Ob-Gyn’s gender
If you’re fine chatting about your bodily functions with a doctor of either gender, then you’re good to go. But if you find it awkward to discuss certain issues with a male Ob-Gyn, then go ahead and hire a female doctor instead.
#4: Need an Ob-Gyn which specializes?
Pregnant ladies who have pre-existing conditions (such as diabetes or osteoporosis) might want to look for Ob-Gyns who have treated expectant women with the same health conditions.
If you’re over the age of 35, you’re obese, or you have had multiple miscarriages, this puts you into the category of a “high-risk” pregnancy – under these circumstances, you might be better off picking a Ob-Gyn who specializes in these conditions as well.
#5: Ask all the questions you need
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Last but not least, have a chat with your Ob-Gyn, and bombard them with all the questions on your mind. If the doctor can’t provide satisfactory answers, then they’re a no-go, and you can cross them off your list.
Knowledge and expertise aside, do also look out for the doctor’s bedside manner. Are they warm and friendly when they speak to you, or are they curt and less than welcoming? At the end of the day, you want to engage an Ob-Gyn whom you have good rapport with!
Fertility consultation with BeNatural’s fertility coach, Marie Otsuka
If you and your partner would like to learn more about conceiving, come down for a 45-minute consultation with Marie Otsuka, BeNatural’s fertility coach. In this session, Marie will seek to understand the couple’s situation, and offer insights she’s gained through her 10 years of experience in working with infertile Singaporeans. Slots are limited and on a first come first serve basis; contact us here to schedule an appointment!
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