~CHOICES IN CHILDBIRTH~ 

SAMPLE LIST OF QUESTIONS FOR YOUR 

MEDICAL CAREGIVER:

1) What is your philosophy or personal views towards birth?

2) What hospital(s) and/or birth centers do you have privileges at? Do you attend  home births?

3) Who provides back-up care when you are sick or out-of-town? What is a typical weekly on-call schedule for the medical caregivers in your practice?

4) Are your partner(s)--if applicable--or back-up practitioner(s) philosophically agreeable with how you view childbirth? In other words, if your back-up is on call when I am in labor, am I likely to receive the same type of care I would have if you were attending my birth? At what point in my pregnancy will I meet your partner(s)?

5) Where would I go if I had a medical problem-but not an emergency-after hours, on the weekend or during holidays? How are such problems typically handled? Do you have an answering service?

6) What should I do if I have any questions or concerns, but do not have a scheduled appointment with your office? Do you have someone who specifically handles phone calls or do you return telephone calls yourself?

7) What is your cesarean rate? What is the most common reason you perform cesareans? What is your VBAC rate?

8) Does your office offer any nutrition counseling throughout my pregnancy? If so, who provides it? What are their credentials for offering nutrition advice?

9) What is your induction rate? How do you typically induce labor if it is medically necessary? What medications (including dosages) do you prefer to use? Who starts the induction, you or the hospital staff? Do you have any particular timetable for the labor to proceed if it is being induced or augmented? If so, what is it for a first-timer? For a subsequent birth? How far past the due date might your patients go if there are no medical problems with the pregnancy or the baby?  What are the most common reasons you perform inductions?

10) What is your philosophy or thoughts on the various interventions in the hospital setting, such as Electronic Fetal Monitoring? If I'm low-risk, how much monitoring might I expect to have during my labor? What about IV's? Do you use them routinely or do you wait and use them only if medically necessary? How often do you rupture the amniotic membranes? If there is not a medical reason for rupturing the membranes, do you feel comfortable waiting for them to break on their own?

11) Do you have any preferred positions for the Second Stage of Labor (Pushing)? Do you mind if I adopt whatever position is comfortable for me? Will you be using warm compresses and lubricating oil on my perineum to help stretch my tissues?  Do you have an opinion on Spontaneous versus Directed Pushing?

12) What is your philosophy towards the issue of episiotomies versus natural tearing?  What is your episiotomy rate? For first-timers? For subsequent deliveries? If an episiotomy is not medically necessary, do you do anything specific to help me avoid perineal tearing?

13) Do you advocate keeping the baby with me right away after I give birth if the baby is fine? Are you comfortable looking the baby over while I am holding the baby? Is there any reason (other than medical necessity if there is a problem) that I might be separated from the baby in the first few hours after the birth?  What is your thoughts on initial mother-baby bonding, delaying or eliminating routine procedures (bathing, ointment in the baby's eyes, vitamin K shot, weighing/measuring the baby)?

14) Where and when did you receive your education and training?

15)  Do you have any former or current clients that I may call and speak with as references?

16) Do you have any questions for me to answer?

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