What is the difference between a midwife and an OB/GYN?
ByI am seeing a midwife and going to a very small practice, I love how personal it is there….I chose this lady because I know her and I trust her. This is my first pregnancy , so what is the difference between a midwife obgyn and a obgyn . . .
The reason I am asking is because whenever I tell people about my “midwife” they say “oh, that is how I want to do it next time with a midwife”…. so I am assuming all obgyns are not considered midwives. I will be having my baby at a hospital and I am assuming she will be delivering him.
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8 Comments
April 8th, 2010 at 5:26 pm
Midwifes are mot medical Doctors!
April 8th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
a medical degree
April 8th, 2010 at 7:04 pm
If you have no problems and not classed as high risk, and would like the most natural birth – then a midwife would be a good choice. My sister in law had a midwife and never saw the Gyne during labor – she said it was a good experience and she was very comfortable. Do what ever makes you feel comfortable, its your and your baby’s health. CONGRATS and all the best
April 8th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
A midwife is somebody who didn’t get a degree to practice medicine. However they do specialize in EXACTLY what you will using her for, delivering babies.
An OB/GYN is an MD that specializes in female reproductive health (not just the pregnancy and delivery)
Midwives are also considered to be more personal as apposed to clinical. Regardless you are in a hospital and will have a wonderful, personal experience. You’ll be getting the best of both worlds and you are in good hands.
April 8th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
A OBGYN is a medical doctor and has tons of patients and is not as personal as a midwife. A midwife helps you through it all, a Dr. is not there to soothe you or rub your back and help you go through your breathing techniques they are there to deliver that baby and that’s pretty much it.
I’ve only had an OBGYN it wasn’t a bad experience. I do hear that a midwife is a much nicer experience.
April 8th, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Actually midwives have a degree in midwifery – at least here they do.
So a medical degree is not the difference.
The difference is doctors are for problems and midwives are for normal. Because doctors are trained to fix problems, they tend to actively manage labour, intervene where it isn’t necessary, and thus cause more problems.
Barring medical need doctors have nothing to do with pregnancy.
April 8th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
- Midwives are educated through a certification process. Some midwives are certified nurse midwives (a registered nurse with qualifications for midwifery) and others are considered direct-entry midwives (meaning that they received their education through experience and hands-on learning, usually under an experienced midwife)
- Doctors that delivers babies are called obstetricians (doctors for pregnant women), usually they double as a gynecologist (women’s doctor). Some family practitioners deliver babies but most of the time it’s the OB/GYN that is the choice of doctors for pregnant women. An OB/GYN has attended medical school.
**maybe this is only my personal experience, but I had an OB/GYN with both of my pregnancies and I thought they were very personal (and I never felt like there were trying to shove pain meds or an episiotomy at me!)
April 8th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
ob/gyn are actual Doctors, and deal with more feminine problems…a midwife only delivers babies…and doesn’t have the schooloing that an ob/gyn has…