Upset.

[mommy2kaitlyn]

I would switch but check back up OB's based on your belief's.
I didn't have them but prefer female Dr's until I met my former OB. I kinda was forced to see him. I had seen two other practices with males and one was horrible and one was ok but I still preferred the female ones. Now I had seen a female since him but did not like her. Desperation sent me to the male I see now. No physical exams like that yet but he definitely listens better then the woman!

Also I am curious what you would do in an emergent situation where a female isn't available. Not even pregnancy related. I have had 2 male surgeons..gall bladder(emergency), hernia(not emergent), not sure when I was a toddler if my hernia surgeon was male or not. I am not saying you should change your belief's but consider all situations so you know what you want, what is reasonable, what is ok for you, etc.

[AniMommy]

You have a right to refuse medical treatment from any person (nurse, dr, EMT, whatever) that you do not want to treat you for whatever reason.

That being said, the practice also can set their rules.

If you went to hospital and were faced with a male practicioner, it would be your right to refuse treatment from that person. You can demand that it be a MD/RN of the gender you require.

[Michelle_M]

I understand where you're coming from.

Could you just schedule your "non naked" appointments with him?

But there is always a chance he'll be the doctor on call when your baby is born.

So you have to choose... stay with them and pray really hard that he's not on call when you go into labor... or switch offices to an all female practice or a midwife group.

God bless!

[MuffinMania]

Originally Posted by mommy2kaitlyn Also I am curious what you would do in an emergent situation where a female isn't available. Not even pregnancy related. I have had 2 male surgeons..gall bladder(emergency), hernia(not emergent), not sure when I was a toddler if my hernia surgeon was male or not. I am not saying you should change your belief's but consider all situations so you know what you want, what is reasonable, what is ok for you, etc.

My only issue is when undressing is required. I'd be comfortable as long as I were covered by a drape.

I don't think it's a view that is all that extreme (or even solely religious, I'm very modest by nature.)

[z2akids]

I agree with others that, if you are that uncomfortable, you should attempt to switch to another practice without male providers.

Originally Posted by AniMommy You have a right to refuse medical treatment from any person (nurse, dr, EMT, whatever) that you do not want to treat you for whatever reason. That being said, the practice also can set their rules. If you went to hospital and were faced with a male practicioner, it would be your right to refuse treatment from that person. You can demand that it be a MD/RN of the gender you require.

While it is certainly your right to refuse treatment from anyone, there may well be no other medical professional available to replace the individual you refuse.

[eguisgirl]

Originally Posted by AniMommy You have a right to refuse medical treatment from any person (nurse, dr, EMT, whatever) that you do not want to treat you for whatever reason. That being said, the practice also can set their rules. If you went to hospital and were faced with a male practitioner, it would be your right to refuse treatment from that person. You can demand that it be a MD/RN of the gender you require.

This is true- you can refuse anyone, however, this does NOT mean that they will have someone else in that role that can cover necessarily.

We take care of many Muslim women at my hospital and do the best we can by providing them with female care providers only. However, they know that in case of an emergency there may be a male present and we try and provide as much modesty as possible. Most of those women are very understanding and we do the best we can to provide the highest level of care with the specific requests that we receive.

I hope it works out for you.

[mom1mg]

Hey OP - I am coming in pretty late but I wanted to offer you some support

I know EXACTLY how you feel! I have been VERY lucky in that I have never had to have a male Dr deliver. In an emergency I understand that I have no choice but I have requested (nicely) a change of Dr before and it has been granted.

(In that situation the Dr on-call was female but not someone I wanted to be involved in my care - she had never seen me during pregnancy and had treated me very badly many years before - I didn't want her there on our happy day.)

The practice I am seeing right now has a lovely male OB - I have no issues with him preforming any of my pre-natal appointments BUT schedule with the females for anything requiring me to undress. When I go into labour I am going to call the hospital to see who is on-call that day - if it happens to be him I am going to request that someone else catch baby. It is the best I can do. It might not work but I feel better at least trying. For me it isn't even about religion it is just about my comfort level.

Oh and for those who asked the OP - if I had a male nurse for my delivery I would ask for another nurse. I've met some wonderful male nurses but I personally am not going to be comfortable with a male nurse in labour and if I am not comfortable and can't relax then the birth is going to have more stress and anxiety then it needs.