When it Comes to Picking a Practitioner for Your Prenatal Care, There are a Bunch of Different Options, Including:
Get Wise(r) About These Providers Below:
1. Obstetricians-Gynecologists: The “Traditional” Route
- Obstetricians-Gynecologists (OB/GYNs) are either medical doctors (MDs) OR doctors of osteopathy (DOs) who have gone to medical school and completed a 4-year OB/GYN residency.
- They provide prenatal care, perform deliveries (in a hospital), and offer postpartum care.
- PediaTip: If you go the OB/GYN route, make sure that your doctor is “board-certified,’ which means they passed a mind-numbing exam and are officially licensed in their speciality (and location). A Google search can usually verify this.
2. Family Medicine Physicians: The “It’s a Family Affair” Route
- Like OB/GYNs, family medicine physicians have earned an MD or a DO. However, instead of doing an OB/GYN residency after medical school, they completed a 3-year family medicine residency. During a family medicine residency, most trainees are taught how to deliver babies (in addition to learning about pediatric and adult medicine).
- The Pros of Family Medicine Doctors: They’re truly the Jacks (and Jills) of all trades. Finding an experienced family medicine doctor with a stellar reputation can make for a cool experience.
Why? Because they can take care of your entire family (i.e. do all of the family checkups) AND deliver your babies.
- Possible Cons:
- Not all family medicine doctors deliver babies.
- Because family medicine doctors don’t focus solely on obstetric care, they may not have as much experience delivering babies as their OB/GYN counterparts. As a result, they often shy away from the higher-risk pregnancies.
- PediaTip: As with OB/GYNs, make sure that your family medicine physician is “board-certified.”
3. Midwives
There are different types of midwives with varying degrees of training and credentials. We’ll take a closer look at three of them: Certified Nurse Midwives, Certified Midwives, and Traditional Midwives. The first two types of midwives have the most training, whereas the third type doesn’t have a training requirement at all.
PediaTip: Do your research carefully. Pick someone who knows what they’re doing and who has a close affiliation with a hospital (in case you’re doing a home birth and things get squirrely).
A. Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM): The Highest Level of Certification.
- Certified nurse midwives graduated from college, obtained a nursing degree, and completed midwifery training.
- CNMs deliver babies in hospitals, birthing centers, and in their patients’ homes. They do not perform C-sections.
- All states recognize and license CNMs and allow them to prescribe medications.
- CNMs are required to have malpractice insurance and some of them accept health insurance.
B. Certified Midwives (CMs): The Middle of the Road in Terms of Certification.
- Certified midwives do not have a nursing degree, but they do have an undergraduate degree and a midwifery certification through the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB). You can verify that your midwife is certified through the AMCB here.
- CMs offer prenatal care, home deliveries, and postpartum care.
- Only some states provide CMs with an official license and allow them to prescribe medications.
- Certified Midwives don’t usually accept health insurance or have malpractice insurance.
C. Traditional Midwives (“Lay Midwives”): No Certification Necessary.
- Lay midwives have no “formal” training.
- They learn their trade from other midwives (or on their own) and draw knowledge from the traditions that have gone before them.
- As you can imagine, “lay midwives” can be a mixed bag. There are some really great ones, and some woefully inexperienced ones, too. If you decide to go this route, research your options carefully.
Insider Info: One of the first steps in picking a midwife is to determine if you want a hospital birth or a home birth. Get Wise about the Different Delivery Location Options here.
4. Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialists (For High-Risk Pregnancies)
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialists focus on high-risk pregnancies.
- They are MDs or DOs who went to medical school, completed a 4-year OB/GYN residency, and then did a 3-year maternal-fetal medicine fellowship.
Translation: These doctors know their stuff!
- Your regular prenatal provider will refer you to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist if they think you need extra care and monitoring.
Other People Who Might be Involved in Your Prenatal Care (But Who Don’t Deliver Babies)
Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
- Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses who have completed extra, advanced education (think: a Master’s Degree) on top of their basic nursing degree.
- NPs see patients on their own but under the supervision of a physician. They don’t deliver babies, but they DO participate in pregnant people’s prenatal and postnatal care.
Doulas
- Doulas are non-medical professionals who provide Moms-to-be with prenatal and postpartum support as well as assistance during labor (think: back rubs and encouraging words).
- Many women swear by doulas and say they offer a calming and knowledgeable presence.
Should I Hire a Doula?
This is obviously a personal decision but here are some things to think about…
If you’re someone who’s going to try natural childbirth (without pain meds) and you feel like you might punch your partner in the face if they get too close, then a doula might be a good fit for you.
However, if you’re someone who doesn’t like having “strangers” hanging about, especially in your most private (read: naked) moments, then a doula probably isn’t for you.
Doula 411
- To find a doula in your area, ask your doctor for a recommendation or go by word of mouth. You can also check out websites like CAPPA and DONA International. In addition, take a look at DONA International’s interview guide for questions to ask potential doula candidates.
Insider Info: Doulas don’t have to be certified, but many of them are.
- Doulas cost anywhere between $500-$3500 per pregnancy, based on their experience level and your location. This is typically an out-of-pocket expense. Your insurance companies could surprise you, though, and cover a portion of the costs, or, if you’re lucky, foot the bill entirely.
Want More Info About Prenatal Providers and Questions to Ask When Interviewing Them? Check Out the Following Bonus Topics…
