Women OB/GYN: Pros and Cons
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When I got this question in Hubpages I smiled. It is the same question that people has asked me several times. I answer with another question: Why is that important to you? Lets agree that there is not controversy about the gender of a dermatologist or a pediatrician. But some specialties that deal with people privacy produce this kind of dilemma.
As a family doctor, I have to refer patients to different specialists when their problem requires that particular care. I know very few men that voluntary will see a female urologist to deal with prostate problems or sexual dysfunction. They are already embarrassed when I have to perform a rectal exam. I get this answers: "well, if you have to do it..."with resignation, or "well I guess that better a woman that a man" from the particular homophobic men. It is all right, as physicians we learn to deal with cultural and personal believes. The same applies to OB/GYN. I trained as specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics in Argentina and I have been in both sides of the issue: as a doctor and as a patient.
As physician, I realized that people have different expectations that are a consequence of their social and ethnic group, environment, and generational believes. As a resident in a Latin American country I found that elderly women would prefer a female doctor for a check up but if they needed surgery, they immediately asked for a male physician. When I asked them why, they would simply say that " men are better surgeons". I knew that it was not true, most of the best surgeons I trained with were females. Unfortunately, some of my older attendings shared that idea and they gave a harsh time to the female residents, but that is another story.
That did not seem to be the case in younger generations of patients. As a matter of fact, they preferred the continuity of care and they were loyal to the physician that they felt they could trust either man or woman. Still there are cultural issues that guide that decision. I am an example of that.
As a patient, I am more comfortable with female physicians. I feel that they understand better what I am talking about, specially when I had to deal with my two pregnancies. Actually I did not choose and OB/ GYN. My doctor was a fellow family physician. She was one of the faculty in my Family Medicine residency and she had a fellowship in OB. I was impressed with her skills, commitment and knowledge besides the fact that I loved to work with her as my attending. Although I was already OB/GYN in Argentina, I felt that she suited my needs better than the other specialists I encountered. I knew that she will be in my delivery instead of anybody else that happened to be on call that day, I knew that I could reach her anytime and that she would absolutely understand me when I screamed "I want the epidural right now!". She has been a role model as a faculty and as a working mother.
I do not think there is any cons on having a women OB/GYN. What counts is that whoever you choose fits your expectations, your level of comfort, and particularly, your trust.
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Excellent hub...thanks for answering my hub request! I've always gone to a male OB/GYN, but have friends who will only see a woman. It never has mattered to me. The male I'm going to was a referral by a friend and I've stuck with him.
You are welcome, KCC.It took me a while to answer and the reason is that there is not an easy answer.
Amanda, I hear that a lot! As a family doc with special interest in GYN I see a lot of patients for pap smears, IUD placements an other procedures. Some of them had really bad experiences with simple things such as pap. When you are use to do something routinely, such as GYN exam, the doctor, independently of our gender, becomes very automatic and sometime we forget how invasive a simple pelvic exam is. I try to remember everyday and I have to say that most of my patients are surprised about how painless it is. One of the most important things is to be able to give control to the patient. For example, when doing a pap I tell to my patients:"You are going to feel a lot of pressure but you should not feel pain, if you do, let me know and I stop" So far, I never have to postpone a pap for that reason
I agree with almost all your point of view about the subject. The better relationship between a patient and his/her physician is not only a matter of gender. Not either regarding the doctor speciality. I think that "at a first sight" be male or female could be reassurance, but throughout the visits the keypoint will be commitment and empathy.
If the physician want to obtain patient trust, he must listen very carefully why she is worried. Distant behavior and hurried practices do not work and surely, dont get the relief looked for by patient. Finally , the patient will feel underestimated, and the physician shift will be unavoidable.
Patient never will know how really important are her doctor skills (unless she get a physician degree as you, Dr. VGoldemberg). Perhaps it doesnt be so relevant when the goal is ameliorate the patient QoL. But, and at this point, I agree with you; "trust" is the best medicine to initiate a succesful treatment.
Send me USA residents. I´ve never let them teach
Kisses
Hi, Dr. :)
I think that people should only think about the skills and experience of the doctor no matter what his gender is...
But.....what if you can choose between 2 Great doctors, a male and a female..? well in the case of OB/GYN your statement is very true "As a patient, I am more comfortable with female physicians"
I think it is natural, normal and nothing wronf about it..why more comfortable? The reasons are very obvious and we can't even count them all......The only problem i see about females as OB/GYN...well, i dunno if you like this but many of my collegue females are "physically" too weak! You know what I mean ?
Sometimes they are too short or weak..(some males, too)..I think this field needs a little more physical power than others, am I right? (think of a female doctor who can't lift the patient leg, etc)
thanks for the nice hub :)
kind regards
Dear Daniel!!! Once a teacher, always a teacher!!! You are so right! Listening is so important and in the US medical system it is so forgotten! WHY? Well, productivity is a factor. You only can spend X amount of minutes with a patient and move on, or you do not pay your mortgage that month. Does any of this sound familiar? Patients feel the rush and there is nothing more uncomfortable than your doctor in a hurry when you are having the pelvic exam.
Skill are very important, and sometimes the only way a patient can have some indirect knowledge of our expertise is by references of friends and relatives. As I see the current training in all the surgical specialties, the gap between male and female is closing. But in a past, not that far away, women had a hard time to get the same opportunities in the OR as their fellow male residents. That was not my experience during my OB rotation but it was true about my GYN rotation. Daniel it is great to hear from you! You are one of my favorite faculty and attending of both hemispheres!!
Healthyminds, I understand exactly what you mean. As a matter of fact, I am very short ( even in Latin American standards)and it has been reason for jokes every time I had to assist a surgery, but I used the highest stool and problem solved. As far as strength, it might be a problem in long surgeries of big patients where we hold heavy instruments for a while, nothing that cannot be solved with a little preparation. So far, with my 150 cm of height and 127 pounds I have been able to assist my 300 pounds patients without much more complications than sore arms and low back pain afterward. But it is true that in some circumstances it can represent a challenge.
Thank you so much for your comments!
I've had both and I found the women doctors have FAR superior listening skills.
From a Male husband perspective and father of 3 who has had a lot of experience with this issue, I feel that it is improper for women to recieve intimate care from a male doctor when it can be avoided. In my opinion, it has nothing to do with being insecure or maturity, it has more to do with being "protective", and about "what's proper", and about "respect" for a relationship or marriage.
Way too many male ob/gyn doctors have crossed-the-line, and once a spouse has been violated, you can't take it back, so why take the chance? If a woman truly loves her SO or husband, then she would 1.) try to be as modest as possible, 2.) be respectful of his feelings, 3.) not expect him to endure such pain and disrespect. Now, if there were to ever be a "life threatening emergency", by all means 1st doctor available then please.
Fortunately, my wife shares the same convictions as I do, and has way to much respect for herself and also for me to ever electively expose herself in such an intimate way. Male doctors don't even have the same plumbing that women do, so it would be like going to a mechanic who has never owned a car. While my wife has other male doctors such as dentists, and eye doctors, she would never electively go to see a male gyn doctor. Being a male, I just don't think you can ever take the "male" out of being a "male".
A lot of women say that the process is simply "clinical", which I find hard to believe. Some women have been known to become aroused during these types of exams, and have also referred to their male ob/gyn's as being "cute", whereby making it improper. Who cares if a male doctor see's 20 women a day, it still doesn't make it "right" or "proper".
This is not to say not to get any prenatal care, but to seek the right moral care, for both you and your spouse. What good is having "good health", when your husband or significat other starts to resent you, and starts to lose interest in the process, or wants a divorce because he feels that you didn't do "everything" possible on your part to protect the intimacy of the marriage or relationship. In what better way could a woman show her man love and respect then to say "I go to women doctors for all of my intimate medical care and treatment".
Homer,
You are a terribly insecure male and your comments are a bunch of pointless points. Men should not fix your wife's car, or wait on her at the restaurant or .........do any of those things that men typically do. You have some points though you sound like a looser. I think you grew up when men and women sat in separate aisles in church. Grow up
Sorry Doc, but like I said, it has nothing to do with "insecurity". It has more to do with respect and honor in my opinion. Way too many male doctors have crossed the line in the past, which proves that the process isn't always clinical. Plus, it just doesn't seem natural to me why any woman would want some other strange male seeing her bare breast and crotch unless absolutely life savingly necessary. Most women have 9 months to come up with a suitable birthing plan, and can refuse to see any male doctors within a rotating ob/gyn practice.
It's encouraging that Homer spoke up about how he feels about this issue. It's very obvious that Homer loves his wife deeply. It's wonderful that his wife has made a commitment to not go to a male gynecologist. You should check out a number of reasons why women are uncomfortable with going to a male gynecologist at http://patientmodesty.org/obgynpatients.aspx. Many women don't want a male gynecologist under any circumstances. Many of those women are comfortable with male doctors for non-intimate issues.
It's encouraging that Homer spoke up about how he feels about this issue. It's very obvious that Homer loves his wife deeply. It's wonderful that his wife has made a commitment to not go to a male gynecologist. You should check out a number of reasons why women are uncomfortable with going to a male gynecologist at http://patientmodesty.org/obgynpatients.aspx Many women don't want a male gynecologist under any circumstances. Many of those women are comfortable with male doctors for non-intimate issues.
i have had some troubling experiences with this issue myself. As a husband, the thought of another man examining my wife greatly disturbed me. i am fortunate to have a wife that is sensitive to my feelings and when i asked she found a female doctor.
Amanda J. Miller 2 years ago
I have had a few OB/GYN doctors, and I have found that I definitely prefer females. I just don't feel comfortable having a man diagnose problems he couldn't possibly know anything about. I had one male doctor tell me that a certain procedure wouldn't hurt at all. The pain was excrutiating! When I commented on it to the nurse, she told me that he tells everyone that, and she doesn't know why. She stated that every woman who had the procedure complains of terrible pain afterwards, to which he answers "It doesn't hurt," and hands out a Celebrex. I'll have you know that my knee didn't hurt anymore afterwards, but my womanly parts definitely did. Females tend to be more understanding, as they have been through it themselves, or at least have the body parts that their patients are having checked out. I currently see a woman, and I am much more comfortable about going to my appointments now. I don't feel like someone is "checking me out" while I'm in stirrups!