Reviving the doctor vs. midwife debate

During a pregnancy, the health and safety of mother and unborn child should always be paramount. But as you near the due date, among one of the biggest choices you’ll have to make is whether to use a doctor or a midwife. For many, there’s no question. They’re set on using a traditional doctor OB-GYN to safely deliver their baby in a hospital environment. Others prefer the idea of a comforting midwife and are keen on giving birth in the setting of the home.

The fact is, there are a number of factors that play into your choice. Whether you choose an obstetrician-gynecologist, family doctor, certified nurse, or direct-entry midwife, you need to know that you’re making the decision that’s right for you and your family.

Some of the important considerations to take into account include:

• Whether or not you have a serious medical condition (diabetes, heart disease, etc.);
• Whether or not you already have a practitioner or provider you feel comfortable with;
• How important more individualized, less routine approaches are to you, and;
• What kind of setting you want when you deliver.

While working with an obstetrician is by far the most common choice in the United States, certified midwifes are seeing the need for their services explode as more and more people turn to natural methods for all their medical needs.

In some places you can even use both OB-GYNs and midwives, or even include your family physician somehow. In the end, the most important consideration should be your own comfort and safety.

Ultimately, you want to ask yourself who will respect your wishes and cater to your individual needs, and what settings would you like these services presented to you in. The answers to these questions will be the final determinant in how you choose to carry and birth your child.