I'm looking for advice on choosing the right OB for me.
My husband and I plan to start trying to conceive later this month. 1] I'm a planner, so I'm thinking about where I'd like to receive prenatal care. 2] For reasons articulated below, I am choosing between Major Hospital and Community Hospital.
- My routine gynecological care is provided by my lovely internal medicine PCP, so I don't have an ongoing relationship with an OB/GYN. I had a preconception check-up with an OB/GYN at Major Hospital before the pandemic/quarantine. I am cleared to start trying this year.
- I have a chronic condition that puts me at slightly increased risk of some complications. The specialist who manages my chronic condition is at Major Hospital. Note that I am not immunocompromised. 3]
- At Major Hospital, my OB would also be a maternal-fetal medicine specialist (because of my chronic condition). At Community Hospital, my OB would consult with a MFM specialist.
- I had planned all along to go to Major Hospital, for direct access to a MFM specialist and for ease of coordinating with my regular specialist. Major Hospital also has a more advanced NICU than Community Hospital which is comforting.
- However, Covid has thrown me for a loop. Major Hospital prohibits visitors for outpatient appointments (i.e., my husband would not be able to come to any prenatal appointments). Community Hospital is currently allowing one visitor. I visited Major Hospital last week for routine labwork, and found it pretty stressful. They have security guards enforcing the visitor policy, issuing masks, and requiring hand sanitizer, and they are too busy to do these things in a particularly friendly way. I haven't been to Community Hospital recently, but friends have, and they report it was a safe but more low-key process. 4,5] This matters to me because I will need frequent (weekly) monitoring during the second trimester due to my chronic condition.
My question: Given the information above, would you get prenatal care at Major Hospital or Community Hospital?
What this question is not:
1. "Should we start TTC now, during a pandemic?" Please trust that it's the right time for us.
2. Inviting reminders that I'm getting ahead of myself, and that TTC could take months/years or be unsuccessful.
3. "Should we TTC, given my chronic condition?" Please trust that we have discussed this with my doctors.
4. A complaint about Covid policies at Major Hospital; they are totally reasonable! It's nonetheless a little stressful to be barked at by busy security guards.
5. Inviting reminders that hospitals' Covid policies could change. |
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