# OBGYN -- MD vs DO



## Momma Aimee (Jul 8, 2003)

What -- really -- sould be the pratical difference between an OBGYN that is an MD or a DO???

Thinking about our next pregancy and birth -- we were very unhappy with out CNM and paid 1500+ out of pocket for her.

Might just go with a plan OBGYN and pay less than 100 for teh whole bang.

so what would be the difference in an MD and DO as far as where the rubber meets the road?

Aimee


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## Belle (Feb 6, 2005)

I think that it just might depend on the individual person. I've heard of some OBs that are really great. Most use the medical model though. I'd interview some providers and see how you feel about them personally.


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## ZeldasMom (Sep 25, 2004)

Try a different CNM or a CPM. When I had a hospital birth I found a good CNM by going to the Doulas of North America web site, going to the "find a birth doula section", and contacting all the doulas in my area and asking for provider recommendations. You could also get a recommendation for a doc this way too if you decide to go that route.

Good luck!


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## AnditheBee (Oct 3, 2003)

I think it depends on the individual doctor. DO's supposedly have gotten more training in the body's alignment as an aid to healing and such, but many of them really don't know how to manipulate the body to bring about health and healing--they just end up giving pills like every other doc. Our town has mostly DO's and hardly any other kind of doctor--all 5 of our OBs are DO's, as far as I know, and they range from exceptionally conventional to fairly forward-thinking, with most falling somewhere in between.

Really, as far as OB/GYN care goes, I think all docs get the same training anyway. I'd say pick a provider based on personality and approach, whether it be a MW or doc.


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## MamaTaraX (Oct 5, 2004)

DOs are usually more holistic and more in tune with the body and into natural things. Before my 2nd pregnancy, I found a new care provider. This OB was a DO, a very cool lady. She wasn't totally down with my little boy coming to a pelvic exam with me, but whatever. So when I became pregnant, I went to her. At ween 15 I left her practice and week 19 switched to midwives. Thank God I did. I have attended quite a few births with her and the DO attached to her name DOES NOT make her any more "natuarl" or "holisitic", I assure you. SHe's medical model and proud of it, from conception to post-partum. There are a few things less typical that she does but she has a higher episiotomy rate than the other OBs in her practice. So in theory, a DO is more likely to help you if you want a natural, intervention-free birth/low-intervention pregnancy/etc, but it isn't always true. If you can shop around for care providers, do.

Namaste, Tara


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## gentlebirthmothr (Jul 13, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MamaTaraX*
DOs are usually more holistic and more in tune with the body and into natural things. Before my 2nd pregnancy, I found a new care provider. This OB was a DO, a very cool lady. She wasn't totally down with my little boy coming to a pelvic exam with me, but whatever. So when I became pregnant, I went to her. At ween 15 I left her practice and week 19 switched to midwives. Thank God I did. I have attended quite a few births with her and the DO attached to her name DOES NOT make her any more "natuarl" or "holisitic", I assure you. SHe's medical model and proud of it, from conception to post-partum. There are a few things less typical that she does but she has a higher episiotomy rate than the other OBs in her practice. So in theory, a DO is more likely to help you if you want a natural, intervention-free birth/low-intervention pregnancy/etc, but it isn't always true. If you can shop around for care providers, do.

Namaste, Tara

Namaste,

2nd that. The only OB/GYNs who are dos in the local/where I volunteer, are basically, what you said above.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AndiB*
I think it depends on the individual doctor. DO's supposedly have gotten more training in the body's alignment as an aid to healing and such, but many of them really don't know how to manipulate the body to bring about health and healing--they just end up giving pills like every other doc. Our town has mostly DO's and hardly any other kind of doctor--all 5 of our OBs are DO's, as far as I know, and they range from exceptionally conventional to fairly forward-thinking, with most falling somewhere in between.

Really, as far as OB/GYN care goes, I think all docs get the same training anyway. I'd say pick a provider based on personality and approach, whether it be a MW or doc.

Andi,

My doctor who is a family practioner is pretty much what you said, I suspect her partner is the same as her with this. Which is the part that I don't about her and partner.

Thank you.


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## Belleweather (Nov 11, 2004)

My husband is going into medicine and is looking to become a DO rather than an MD. The big difference from his perspective is that MDs are really trained to specialize and that they really look down on internal medicine/family practice doctors. Where as DOs are generally trained to be doing internal medicine/fam. prac. Osteopathic Doctors tend to be holisitic in that they look at all the body's systems and how they work together and effect one another, but not 'holistic' in that they're necessarily into herbs or other more natural treatments.

I wouldn't take a DO as a guarantee that an OB is going to be friendly to natural child birth... I think it's going to depend a lot on the individual doc.


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## gentlebirthmothr (Jul 13, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Belleweather*
My husband is going into medicine and is looking to become a DO rather than an MD. The big difference from his perspective is that MDs are really trained to specialize and that they really look down on internal medicine/family practice doctors. Where as DOs are generally trained to be doing internal medicine/fam. prac. Osteopathic Doctors tend to be holisitic in that they look at all the body's systems and how they work together and effect one another, but not 'holistic' in that they're necessarily into herbs or other more natural treatments.

I wouldn't take a DO as a guarantee that an OB is going to be friendly to natural child birth... I think it's going to depend a lot on the individual doc.

belleweather,

Thank you for you and dh insight on this.


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## wombatclay (Sep 4, 2005)

Quote:

I wouldn't take a DO as a guarantee that an OB is going to be friendly to natural child birth... I think it's going to depend a lot on the individual doc.
That's a really important point. Several of my friends went with CNMs because they thought "If she's a midwife she must be supportive!" and found out otherwise. On the other hand I had a family practitioner who was amazingly supportive (his wife is a homebirth mama) and for the next babe I'm considering an OB who is equally gung ho about natural birth (I now have a medical condition that "risks out" my use of a family practitioner). So I really think it depends on the person rather than on their title.

Does your insurance cover family practitioners? That might be another area to explore. Good luck...I hope you find someone you love!


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## pamamidwife (May 7, 2003)

if you want someone less invasive, stick to a family practice doc. OBs are surgeons, whether they're MDs or DOs.


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## Artisan (Aug 24, 2002)

I can't help you with the MD vs. DO, thing, but I do agree that if you decide to use a doctor (instead of finding another midwife), a family practice doctor is the way to go. Pam is right that obstetrics is a surgical speciality -- they are not trained in normal birth.


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## Belleweather (Nov 11, 2004)

nak

so then what is the difference between a 'family practice with OB' doctor and a straight OB? dh is also looking at doing is training at an MD program in Oregon because all of their family practice docs are trained on obstetrics. Wouldn't that make them just as 'brainwashed' about surgery as a normal OB?


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## Momma Aimee (Jul 8, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *wombatclay*
Several of my friends went with CNMs because they thought "If she's a midwife she must be supportive!" and found out otherwise.

THAT is totally what our expereince was................

I have a great GYN for a medical issue, but he is older and doesn't do OB care any more -- he is done, getting up at 3 am, by his own account.

Not an issue now.

Just brainstorming and wondering about the MD DO difference as i have never gotten a grip on it.

Aimee


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## pamamidwife (May 7, 2003)

OBs - those who practice OB/GYn, not family practice, are surgeons. Family practice docs, when surgery is needed, can usually assist in surgery, but typically they do not DO the main surgery (though some do). Also, GP/FPs do not deal with High risk / surgical clients - and they are often overseen by OBs in complicated births.

Family Practice docs have a tendency to not have the "waiting for danger" to happen when it comes to birth and pediatrics. It's why I think that most people, if wanting to see an MD, should see a FP/GP rather than a specialist. It seems that OBs on average are OBs because they are MDs that LOVE surgery, not necessarily because they have a high regard for the sacredness of birth and women.

That said, I'd never throw the baby out with the bathwater just because of one experience with a CNM that you didn't like. Sadly, most CNMs practice the way they do because of the OBs that "set the rules" and oversee them. Whereas, for some reason GPs/FPs are more independent until something goes out of the scope of normal, in which case they then consult with an OB.

The key here is to NEVER really go just with the credentials - but interview EVERYONE and ask blunt, to the point questions (and not accept "well, I don't usually, but .... ") that matter to you. With malpractice insurance, any insured provider is going to be more quick to intervene and less likely to sit on their hands. Sadly, this also goes for many homebirth (non-nurse) midwives. We live in a culture of fear around birth and nobody, it seems, is immune.


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## mamaverdi (Apr 5, 2005)

I wanted to second, third, fourth, don't judge the care provider by their degree. Judge them by the content of their character and the actual rates in their practice. Around here, there are homebirth midwives who carry EFM. And there are (though very few) doctors who don't require it in hospital.

So look for the PERSON you want to work with during your pregnancy and birth, not the SPECIALIST you want delivering you from the circumstances.

mv


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## ZeldasMom (Sep 25, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamaverdi*
... not the SPECIALIST you want delivering you from the circumstances.









your choice of words!


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## Belleweather (Nov 11, 2004)

Thanks, Pam. That really clears it up for me!


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