Does the gender of an obstetrician matter to you?

gaffer91

Just out of sheer curiosity- To women who have had/are planning to have children- does the gender of the obstetrician matter to you?

Obviously it varies greatly by person but if I could just get an idea of the general trends that'd be great.

rainbow kirby

Competence is more important than gender by a long way.

No kids yet, but will hopefully have them in the future.

Jerrica

Bedside manner was more important to me than gender, and in the end it was between a man and a woman. As it happened the female obstetrician was able to guarantee me a place first so that was who I went with.

Ginny

Not really, competence and compassion is more important, but on the other hand unless you're going private the obstetrician won't matter at all, you'll be in the hands of the midwives.

Chattastrophe!

I had a baby recently (public, so no choice of consultant), the obstetrician was male, it honestly didn't bother me in the slightest. I mean they see pregnant women all day every day, and there's nothing I could have told him or nothing that he would've seen that he hadn't experienced before! He has an excellent reputation, and is apparently the consultant that all the midwives in Holles St choose to see themselves, so I knew I was in good hands.

It was mostly midwives that were involved on the night I gave birth anyways. My own consultant wasn't there, and the one (female) doctor I saw early on in the labour was useless. I think it's a nicer atmosphere anyways with just the midwives there, I wouldn't like for any consultant to have been there unless it was actually medically necessary.

eviltwin

I'd always prefer female just for personal reasons, I wouldn't refuse a male doctor but female would always be my first choice.

lazygal

I went private having my children mainly because I wanted a female consultant who had had children. I felt more comfortable with her knowing she'd been through it herself. I had to deal with a male consultant when mine was away for a couple of appointments and felt he was quite dismissive and treated me like a slightly over anxious silly woman. Might just be a personality thing though. My consultant was brilliant and ille return to her if we have more.

sullivlo

I've never had an obstetrician as I've never had children but I had a male gynaecologist and I had no issues with it. Obviously he never had a period and doesn't understand what ovarian pain feels like but as a medical professional I was happy with him.

gaffer91

Thanks for the responses everyone. Just something I'm interested in as I'm a male who would consider a career in obstetrics but if I thought that most women would be uncomfortable with a male obstetrician I would obviously be somewhat disinclined. Interestingly enough, there are a few studies on this topic and the breakdown among women in them was almost exactly the same as this poll despite its small sample size.

Roesy

My first choice was a woman obstetrician but not because of her gender but based on her reputation and peoples feedback about her. I was unable to get an appointment with her and ended up going with a male obstetrician that I'd heard good feedback about. I was delighted with the care I got from him and will hopefully go under his care if I'm lucky to have any more children. As I say, gender wasn't a deciding factor for me though. The only time I chose a doctor based on gender was when I had to see a gynaecologist at the age of 21. I thought I would be more comfortable with a female one. She was horrendous!i had a much better experience with a male one I saw after that. I know I was just unlucky with the female one I saw first.

I'd be happy with a male obgyn if he was competent and I got on with him. The person is more important than the gender, all else being equal.

ShadyLane

gaffer91 wrote: »

Thanks for the responses everyone. Just something I'm interested in as I'm a male who would consider a career in obstetrics but if I thought that most women would be uncomfortable with a male obstetrician I would obviously be somewhat disinclined. Interestingly enough, there are a few studies on this topic and the breakdown among women in them was almost exactly the same as this poll despite its small sample size.

I'm in the unique position of being both a female and an OB/GYN trainee.

Never bothered me in the slightest the gender of gynaecologists I've attended, and most women are at least open to seeing either a male or female. The few that have commented on being happy to have a female doctor were either elderly ladies or women from Muslim backgrounds.

Send me a PM OP if you want information on getting on a training scheme! It's a lovely job and I'm very happy with my choice

Femme_Fatale

Yep. I would prefer a female. Nothing to do with thinking a male one would be incompetent or having an issue with him being male, but simply because I like the empathy factor. Not that it's essential, but it's an extra dimension which I like.

My GP whom I go to for all health issues except ladybits ones is male btw. I go to the female doctor in the practice just for the latter. But if I needed to attend one day for a women's health issue and she wasn't there, no probs, I'd happily go to my GP who's male. I'm only referring to when there's availability.

IvyTheTerrible

I have one child and I had a male ob/gyn. Saw him a lot during the pregnancy and he was great. For the birth, it was less important because he was only there for the last bit anyway.
To me, it's more about competence and manner than gender.
I don't really get the empathy factor, I mean there are plenty of conditions I could have that the doctor, male or female, would have not experienced themselves.

pwurple

Makes no difference to me. I don't need empathy from a doctor, I want their expertise. I can get empathy from my friends/family.

The Princess Bride

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I don't really get the empathy factor, I mean there are plenty of conditions I could have that the doctor, male or female, would have not experienced themselves.

Agree 100%.
Was with a female GP once-she made me feel like I was moaning over nothing, that there were dozens of women with worse symptoms than me.
I felt terrible, as I seldom go to GPs anyway.Found a new GP, and am happier now.

As for Gynacologists /Obstetricians- experience and track record far more important than gender.
Have always had male ones, but that's just the way it worked out.
No complaints either.

Femme_Fatale

I don't mean empathy as in sympathy; I mean empathy as in having the same experience.
Just as a guy might wish to attend a male doctor only for men's health issues. The male doctor will understand more what he's referring to from an experience point of view.

IvyTheTerrible

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

I don't mean empathy as in sympathy; I mean empathy as in having the same experience.
Just as a guy might wish to attend a male doctor only for men's health issues. The male doctor will understand more what he's referring to from an experience point of view.

I know that's what you meant. But for example, I'm a woman and I've never had very painful periods. I had a baby and the pregnancy and birth were very easy. So would I be able to empathise more with a woman who has problems with periods or pregnancy more than a man who is well qualified? I don't think so.

ted1

lazygal wrote: »

I went private having my children mainly because I wanted a female consultant who had had children. I felt more comfortable with her knowing she'd been through it herself. I had to deal with a male consultant when mine was away for a couple of appointments and felt he was quite dismissive and treated me like a slightly over anxious silly woman. Might just be a personality thing though. My consultant was brilliant and ille return to her if we have more.

We has a make on our first and a women on our second. My wife noted the male made it feel very factual with no real emotional connection while the women made her feel very little and stupid as she kept on going on about how she had 5 babies and never asked those questions

pwurple

Femme_Fatale wrote: »

I don't mean empathy as in sympathy; I mean empathy as in having the same experience.
Just as a guy might wish to attend a male doctor only for men's health issues. The male doctor will understand more what he's referring to from an experience point of view.

I don't think any medical professional is going to have had every gyno problem possible. They may not have had any at all. They should have seen plenty of people with them though... Whatever their gender.

If you're uncomfortable talking to a male about that stuff, then that's absolutely fair enough. My friend asked me to go into a chemist and get caneston cream for her, just because the pharmacist was male and she was not comfortable with talking to him about it.

Assuming that just because someone is female, that they have shared your particular experience is optimistic.

Hannibal Smith

It mattered to me on my first but then I got over myself.

As it turned out I've had 2 sections both emergency. ..first done by a man the other by two women. The first one was perfect and never had a problem with it. The second was a butcher job that I've had nothing but problems with and they took forever to stitch me up.

This is not a general men vs women comment. ..its just on the topic of the women being more empathetic and understanding. ..in my experience it was the man who ended up like that.

sullivlo

pwurple wrote: »

I don't think any medical professional is going to have had every gyno problem possible. They may not have had any at all. They should have seen plenty of people with them though... Whatever their gender.

If you're uncomfortable talking to a male about that stuff, then that's absolutely fair enough. My friend asked me to go into a chemist and get caneston cream for her, just because the pharmacist was male and she was not comfortable with talking to him about it.

Assuming that just because someone is female, that they have shared your particular experience is optimistic.

Very few medical professionals will have any / most of the illnesses they treat regularly. That doesn't make them less empathetic at all.

Tbh if you're choosing medical professionals over their ability to empathise with you because they have experienced the issue, I think a recheck is needed... I have a few medical issues and it wouldn't cross my mind to think that I should choose my consultant based on whether they had previous experience. I wouldn't ask! I understand it may be a comfort thing - it's easier to talk to a woman about woman bits - but in terms of treatment the gender of a doctor shouldn't matter.

Femme_Fatale

pwurple wrote: »

If you're uncomfortable talking to a male about that stuff, then that's absolutely fair enough.

Not at all. He just won't fully know what I'm referring to when it comes to basic, everyday stuff. I like the idea of someone having been there. E.g. getting a breast-check; a female doctor will check her own breasts.
I guess it's more the "talking to" that I'm referring to rather than actual treatment.
But in the practice I go to, the female doctor is only part-time so isn't always around. Therefore I sometimes go to my male GP for women's health stuff and it's not a problem; I just like going to a female doctor when possible. It's just something that appeals to me.

meeeeh

Both my GP and OB are male. I've given very little thought to choosing either and just went with first one I came across. They are both brisk and factual in their manner and fairly relaxed, probably not the best choice if you are worrying type but they suit me perfectly.