HEALTH & FITNESS

Vicki Lynn Solway, M.D.,

with Ella Leatherman, 1, of

Farmington

Finding An
Obstetrician

• Will my doctor or one of her col-
leagues deliver the baby?

Many large group practices rotate
on-call duty, which means the likeli-
hood of your regular ob-gyn being
on call when you go into labor
depends on how many doctors are
in the practice. If there are only a
few, make a point to meet them all.
In either case, ask your physician
which docs in the practice handle
things the way she does.

• How important is the hospital
where the ob-gyn attends births?

You should be comfortable with the
hospital. When interviewing your
doctor, ask about the hospital poli-
cies. Take a tour of the hospital be-
fore you make your final selection
so you are familiar with hospital
requirements. Ask if you can have
more than one visitor at a time. How
many support people can you have
in the room with you?

• Under what circumstances would
the obstetrician induce labor?

A Mother's World

Tips for your search for a physician
for your pregnancy and your baby.

• What types of tests might the
obstetrician order during your
pregnancy?

• Does the obstetrician provide
breast feeding support and post-
partum care?

Ruthan Brodsky

oped rating systems for hospitals, but

like him and she was right. He is very

Special to the Jewish News

lished relationship. Others may choose

lag behind in developing quality mea-
sures for doctors. The bottom line is

personable; I never feel I'm a nuisance.
He answers all my questions and gives
me his full attention."

a particular ob/gyn because they have
a high-risk pregnancy. Most prefer
ob/gyn physicians because of their

Obstetricians are medical doc-
tors specializing in the management

F

finding a physician who

meets her needs and wants
becomes a priority when a
woman learns she is preg-
nant. Her search is a journey, with highs

and lows. It works best when the right
doctors are along for the ride.

There are two physicians a woman
needs to consider when she's pregnant.
The first takes her through pregnancy

that women have to do some research
to make sure their doctors are compe-
tent and qualified.

of pregnancy, labor and birth. They

specialized training to manage com-
plications should they occur, such as
preeclampsia or cesarean birth.

a new car without checking consumer
ratings. Yet we rely on word of mouth
to select a physician; often, the choice

are trained in the health of the female
reproductive system and surgical
care. Depending on their specialty and

"The obstetricians I know are pas-
sionate about what they do because
our lifestyle is stressful and demand-

must be selected from a health plan's
list. As a result, patients rely on infor-

advanced training, some ob/gyns prac-
tice only obstetrics while others prac-
tice only gynecology.

practices from Women's Health and
Menopause Center in West Bloomfield.

Obron recommends that women con-
sider the location of their physician and
where they want to have their babies

when seeking an obstetrician because
of the multiple visits during pregnancy.
"Major hospitals in this area have

Interestingly, most of us wouldn't buy

and childbirth. More than 80 percent

mation about doctors from their family
and friends.

of American women select an obstetri-
cian/gynecologist, commonly called

Selecting An Obstetrician

Most ob/gyns practice both special-
ties and offer a variety of services,
including annual gynecologic exams

"I asked my very dear friend whom
she used as her doctor during her

that encompass Pap smear tests, a
breast exam, infertility diagnosis and

pregnancy because I haven't been in
Michigan that long and this is my first

treatment, menopause management,
and labor and birth care.
Many women choose a cur-
rent obstetrician for their pregnancy

an ob/gyn, during pregnancy. In this
article, each woman interviewed also
selected a pediatrician.

Finding good physicians isn't easy
because doctors aren't officially rated
by any organization. Business, health
plans and government agencies devel-

pregnancy," said Michele Rosenblum
of Birmingham. "I was confident that if
my friend liked the doctor, I would also

because they already have an estab-

ing," said Jeffrey Obron, M.D., who

excellent doctors on staff so it makes
sense to select a location that is fairly

MOTHER'S WORLD on page A24

July 30 200 fl,

A23

