Female Or Male Ob/gyn- Which Do You Prefer?

[JUSTYSMOM]

Hi,

I have used a male OB/Gyn ever since I started going to see one (oh about 20 years or so). I have never been to a female doctor. I have friends who swear by them. They say only a female doctor could really understand what they are feeling. They would NEVER go to a male doctor. Others (like myself) prefer male doctors. Maybe it's phychological on my part? I don't know why, but the thought of another female poking around in there makes me uncomfortable.

Who do you prefer? Is there really that much of a difference? Are female doctors more sensitive than males? Or is that dependant on the doctor? I thought my male doctor was sensitive, thoughtful and caring. He also had a great sense of humor. Who do you work for?

The reason why I am asking this is I have recently moved. There is an all female practice about 5 minutes away from me. My regular doctor is a good 25 minutes. I don't know if it is worth the switch or just stay with him.

Thanks :)

Jules

[bluesky, BSN, RN]

You know as yet another woman survivor of sexual assault, you'd think I'd prefer a female.... I can't STAND getting massaged by a male. Yet my OB/GYN is a great, gentle and professional MAN. I have no gender preference for my providers as I have my share of bad clinicians in both genders.

[bluesky, BSN, RN]

You know as yet another woman survivor of sexual assault, you'd think I'd prefer a female.... I can't STAND getting massaged by a male. Yet my OB/GYN is a great, gentle and professional MAN. I have no gender preference for my providers as I have my share of bad clinicians in both genders.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I agree with Deb . .. caring, compassionate and competent are among the things I look for and gender, in my experience has had little to do with it.

My first exam at 18 was with a male physician who was very kind and walked me through an embarrassing event. My mom and grandma had scared me so much that when I was sitting in the room talking to the doc, he asked me when my hives started. I looked down and sure enough, fear had made me break out in hives. He was so very nice when I told him my fears.

I had a female ob/gyn with my first son. Her husband was her business manager. She was booked so solidly that you rarely saw her for more than 5 minutes. She was distracted and I didn't bond with her at all. My delivery was almost robotic in terms of her bedside manner.

My next two kids were delivered by two different male docs. Great experiences!

I go to an all woman group now . . PA, NP, Physician. They also are RUSHED RUSHED RUSHED. I get the fastest pap/pelvic exams . . . never much of a peep about how I'm doing. They also delivered my last child. It was an emergency cesarean so I didn't much care about bedside manner . .just competency. :)

Gender, for me, makes no difference.

steph

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I agree with Deb . .. caring, compassionate and competent are among the things I look for and gender, in my experience has had little to do with it.

My first exam at 18 was with a male physician who was very kind and walked me through an embarrassing event. My mom and grandma had scared me so much that when I was sitting in the room talking to the doc, he asked me when my hives started. I looked down and sure enough, fear had made me break out in hives. He was so very nice when I told him my fears.

I had a female ob/gyn with my first son. Her husband was her business manager. She was booked so solidly that you rarely saw her for more than 5 minutes. She was distracted and I didn't bond with her at all. My delivery was almost robotic in terms of her bedside manner.

My next two kids were delivered by two different male docs. Great experiences!

I go to an all woman group now . . PA, NP, Physician. They also are RUSHED RUSHED RUSHED. I get the fastest pap/pelvic exams . . . never much of a peep about how I'm doing. They also delivered my last child. It was an emergency cesarean so I didn't much care about bedside manner . .just competency. :)

Gender, for me, makes no difference.

steph

[Audreyfay]

I've been to both male and female PCP's. Both have been great. However, I feel less self-conscious going to a female, so all of my doctors...except for my ortho Dr....are females. There certainly are not many female ortho doctors!

[Audreyfay]

I've been to both male and female PCP's. Both have been great. However, I feel less self-conscious going to a female, so all of my doctors...except for my ortho Dr....are females. There certainly are not many female ortho doctors!

[tracydoc]

I was a nurse that became a physician (OB-GYN). I see a male gynecologist. I believe there are good and bad doctors of both sex, but chose a male gyno for the following reason. People (doctors) tend to think that everyone's experience is the same as their own. The female gynecologists I have been to assumed I felt exactly as they had. My male gynecologist listens to what I say I am feeling without preconceptions.

See who ever you prefer, but as medical professionals we should be able to separate the sex of our own providers from the services they are providing.

[tracydoc]

I was a nurse that became a physician (OB-GYN). I see a male gynecologist. I believe there are good and bad doctors of both sex, but chose a male gyno for the following reason. People (doctors) tend to think that everyone's experience is the same as their own. The female gynecologists I have been to assumed I felt exactly as they had. My male gynecologist listens to what I say I am feeling without preconceptions.

See who ever you prefer, but as medical professionals we should be able to separate the sex of our own providers from the services they are providing.