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:
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.
Related Articles:
How
is Female Urinary Catheterizations Done?
Are
Pap Smears Necessary For Virgins?
Concerns
About Modesty During Hysterectomy
Why
Are Hysterectomies Often Unnecessary?
Why HPV Vaccine Should
Be Avoided?
What
You Should Know About All-Female OB/Gyn Practices?
Why
Women Should Avoid Male Doctors For Intimate Examinations?
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