Tips For OB/GYN Patients

Many women prefer a female gynecologist or midwife for a variety of reasons. Here are some common reasons:

1. Personal comfort: They feel uncomfortable having a male gynecologist treat them for intimate female health concerns.

2. Personal understanding: They feel that female gynecologists may better understand certain experiences. For example, men do not experience menstrual cramps, ovarian cysts, or other female reproductive health problems themselves.

3. Protecting marital intimacy: They want to protect the intimacy they share with their husbands or future husbands.

4. Their husband being the only man to see them naked: They want their husband to be the only man who sees them naked or sees or touches their intimate body parts.

5. Religious and moral beliefs: Their religious or moral convictions influence their preferences regarding intimate medical care.

6. Past sexual abuse: They have experienced sexual abuse by a man in the past and feel more comfortable receiving intimate care from female providers.

7. Past experiences of sexual harassment: Many women have never been sexually abused by men but have experienced verbal or other forms of sexual harassment. Examples include sexual innuendo, catcalls, vulgar or sexually explicit language, pornography brought into the workplace by male coworkers, sexually explicit images displayed in the windows of adult shops, and hearing men discuss women's bodies and sexual activities in graphic or inappropriate detail. These experiences may affect how comfortable women feel around men during intimate medical examinations.

Protecting Marital Intimacy

Husbands who prefer that their wives see female gynecologists are not unreasonable simply because they hold this preference. They may love their wives deeply and want to preserve the privacy and intimacy of their marriage by avoiding situations in which another man sees or touches their wives' intimate body parts.

Some women share these feelings and want to protect the special intimacy they have with their husbands. For these couples, having a female gynecologist can help them maintain boundaries that reflect their personal, religious, or moral convictions.

The bond between a husband and wife is special, and some couples consider keeping intimate parts of their bodies private from members of the opposite sex an important way to protect that bond.

Finding a Female OB/GYN

Many excellent female OB/GYNs work in practices that include both male and female doctors. However, if you are pregnant and want greater assurance that a female OB/GYN will deliver your baby, find a practice staffed exclusively by female OB/GYNs.

Doctors in many practices rotate their responsibilities, so you may not always be able to choose which physician attends your delivery. In a mixed-gender practice, it may be easier to arrange for a female OB/GYN for routine examinations or scheduled procedures than to guarantee a female physician will be available for delivery.

When scheduling an intimate examination or procedure, ask your OB/GYN to keep the door closed and, when appropriate, place a sign on the door that says "Please Do Not Disturb." You can also ask that your body remain covered as much as possible throughout the examination.

Considering a Home Birth With a Midwife

If you choose to have a home birth with a midwife, make sure you have a backup plan for obtaining hospital care if complications arise. Discuss your preferences for female healthcare providers with your midwife in advance, including what arrangements can be made if you need to be transferred to a hospital.

Some women find that midwives are especially attentive to their modesty and privacy preferences. Depending on their qualifications and scope of practice, midwives may provide breast examinations, Pap tests, gynecological examinations, and other reproductive healthcare services.

For more information, see our article on reasons to consider home birth with midwife.

Some birthing centers in the United States are staffed exclusively by midwives. For women with low-risk pregnancies who prefer not to give birth at home or in a hospital, a birth center may be another option to consider. Discuss whether this setting is appropriate for your pregnancy with a qualified healthcare professional.

Creating a Birth Plan

We encourage pregnant women to create a birth plan that explains how they want their labor and delivery experience to proceed. Include your preferences regarding who may be present during childbirth and what arrangements you would like if you need an unexpected Cesarean section.

We recommend these resources to help you create your birth plan:

• Create Your own Birth Plan Through BabyCenter
  
• Birth Plan on American Pregnancy Association
  

Requesting an All-Female Medical Team for Childbirth

Discuss your preference for an all-female medical team with your OB/GYN well before your due date. Depending on the hospital and your circumstances, the team may include an OB/GYN, nurses, an anesthesiologist, and surgical technologists.

If you plan to have an epidural, an anesthesiologist or another qualified anesthesia professional will administer it. Ask whether a female anesthesia provider can be arranged.

If a female anesthesia provider is unavailable, explain your modesty concerns to your doctor and nurses. Request that your intimate body parts remain covered whenever possible and that unnecessary exposure be avoided while the anesthesiologist is present.

If you need a Cesarean section, discuss the surgical preparation process in advance. This may include the insertion of a urinary catheter. You can request that a male anesthesiologist enter the operating room after the necessary preparation, including catheter insertion, has been completed.

Requesting an All-Female Team for Gynecological Surgery

If you are planning gynecological surgery, such as a hysterectomy, discuss your preference for an all-female surgical team with your OB/GYN well in advance.

The surgical team may include the surgeon, surgical assistants, nurses, surgical technologists, and an anesthesiologist. Explain that you want to protect your modesty and privacy and ask whether the hospital can accommodate your request.

You can also ask about the hospital's policies regarding who may enter the operating room during your surgery, including maintenance personnel who might need to enter to repair equipment or lighting.

Stand Up for Your Modesty and Dignity

Your preferences regarding modesty, privacy, and the gender of your healthcare providers deserve to be communicated clearly and respectfully. Discuss your wishes with your OB/GYN, make arrangements in advance, and ask questions about any limitations.

Stand up for your wishes, protect your privacy, and advocate for the modesty and dignity you want in your medical care.

Check out the directory that lists hospitals with at least one affiliated all female ob/gyn practice.

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Concerns About Modesty During Hysterectomy

Why Are Hysterectomies Often Unnecessary?

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What You Should Know About All-Female OB/Gyn Practices?

Why Women Should Avoid Male Doctors For Intimate Examinations?