Canadian Fertility Consultants provides the most current information on all things Surrogacy
How can I find an Obstetrician to care for me during my Surrogate Pregnancy?
At CFC we are often asked “who’s the best OB in my area”, or “Do you know if Dr xxxx is Surrogate friendly?”
Once our Surrogates are pregnant, we often suggest asking their Fertility Dr. to help then find an Obstetrician in their area, who has experience working with Surrogates. Often, Gestational carriers have OB’s that they have worked with in the past who would be another great option for a care provider.
While most babies born in Canada are delivered by obstetricians, Surrogates do have other options, including Midwives, and family physicians. We always suggest that this is conversation that Intended parents and Surrogates have prior to entering into a Surrogacy agreement, to ensure that their is no misunderstanding.
What criteria should I use to choose my obstetrician?
Only you can decide which are the most important considerations for you. Keep in mind that you may be able to narrow your list of choices somewhat with a simple phone call. Here are some other things to consider:
•Your health history
Do you have any chronic illnesses – such as high blood pressure, epilepsy, heart disease, or diabetes – or previous complications that may require special care? If so, ask the doctors you’re considering what experience they have caring for patients like you, and consider whether you should be cared for by a perinatologist (a doctor who specializes in high-risk births).
If you’ve previously had a c-section, would you like to try to have a vaginal birth this time? In that case, you’ll want to make sure that both the provider and the hospital are supportive of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).
•The doctor’s outlook
Find out the doctor’s attitude about issues that may be important to you, such as the routine use of interventions like IVs, continuous electronic fetal monitoring, and episiotomy. You can’t predict what your individual situation will require, but you can get an idea of the general approach to care and practice patterns from the doctor’s responses to these questions.
You may also want to determine the doctor’s feelings about having a doula or other support people besides your partner and Intended parents present during the labor and birth. Is the doctor supportive of natural childbirth, if that’s what you’re interested in?
•Compatibility
Pregnancy and childbirth are exciting, but they can also be stressful. So the best healthcare partner is one you feel comfortable with and can communicate with easily. It helps to ask yourself questions like these:
*How comfortable do you feel with the doctor? Are you looking for a male or female OB
*Has the Dr. had experience with Surrogacy before?
*Do you find it easy to ask questions of the doctor?
*Does the doctor explain things clearly and completely?
*Does the doctor seem willing to communicate with Intended parents in the way you prefer- either answering their questions directly at appts, or by email, if your intended parents are outside of your area.
Surrogacy is such an exciting time for everyone, including the Surrogate, and Intended parents, however its very important to ensure that the care provider that you choose to work with is open to Surrogacy, and the needs of all the parties involved.
For further information on finding a Surrogate friendly OB in your area, or to answer any other questions about Surrogacy, please contact us by calling our office at 613 439 8701 Or by emailing us at info@fertilityconsultants.ca
Canadian Fertility Consultants