Roxi Sanford, 29, was nearly 7 months pregnant with her first child when she moved from Georgia back to her home state of New York. She needed a new OB/GYN quickly and chose one recommended by local moms on Facebook. But from her first appointment, she felt uncomfortable with the care she received.
"I noticed a change in my treatment from when my partner was present in comparison to when I was there by myself," she says. Roxi is a Black woman and her child's father is white. He lived out of state and could not attend most appointments. "It was already clear that it was, in my opinion, discrimination and prejudice … There were nurses who immediately assumed I was a single mom or would make comments just assuming Dad was not present."
One in 4 pregnant women feel ignored or dismissed by a health care provider, a 2022 What to Expect survey found, and Black women report discrimination from their maternity care providers much more frequently than white women, additional studies show.[1]
At 38 weeks pregnant, Roxi decided to leave the practice. Though some doctors were apprehensive to take a new patient that far along in her pregnancy, one OB/GYN told her to bring her medical records, and they would welcome her to the practice. Roxi stayed with this doctor through her baby's healthy birth and her own postpartum complications.
Signs you should switch medical providers
Roxi knew she needed to switch her care practice after an alarming day when she hadn't felt the baby move. Her doctor told her to drive to an emergency room much further away than the clinic. Roxi knew that the clinic, where she planned to deliver her baby, was capable of assisting her, so she insisted her doctor see her. When she finally got there, the interaction shocked her.
"Instead of saying, 'Okay let me check the baby out,' my doctor’s immediate reaction was, 'So what would you like for me to do?' I was really taken aback," Roxi says.
After learning her baby was healthy, Roxi reported this doctor to a supervisor. The clinic apologized on the doctor's behalf, but Roxi knew she deserved better care elsewhere.
"My gut feeling convinced me one of us wouldn't make it — or neither one of us," Roxi says. "I'm really grateful that I listened to myself. I feel like I avoided a really bad situation."
There are many reasons you might consider switching your doctor during your pregnancy — especially because you'll need to continue seeing a provider through the postpartum period. Here are a list of red flags to look out for when interacting with your provider:
You're receiving poor medical care: You complain about pain or not feeling your baby move, and your doctor is reluctant, slow or unwilling to give care.
Your doctor doesn't listen or communicate well: You voice concerns that are routinely disregarded, and your provider does not clearly explain answers to your questions.
Your doctor has limited to no availability: Your appointments are often rescheduled, and in-office wait times are extremely long.
You disagree on treatment: You're trying to conceive, pregnant or have delivered your baby and encounter a problem where a treatment that you do not want is being forced, although there are alternative options.
Your medical needs have changed: You have a high-risk pregnancy and now need to see a specialist, like a perinatologist.
How to switch medical providers
If you'd like to switch doctors, you should feel completely comfortable doing so. This is your baby and your body, and your voice needs to be heard. Get expert advice for switching doctors during your pregnancy, so you can feel confident that you're making the best decision for yourself and your family.
Don't delay
As soon as you feel that your care team isn't a good fit, listen to your instincts. You may find it easier to switch providers earlier in your pregnancy — many doctors prefer to meet a new patient during their first trimester or no later than 20 weeks.
"Having less time in the prenatal portion of the care means I am less able to be a good guide on the important day of delivery," says Rebecca Amaru, M.D., an OB/GYN practicing in New York City and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board. "This makes me less able to steer a patient through complex decisions."
That said, it is usually not technically too late to switch providers, says Kelly Culwell, M.D., a board-certified OB/GYN. This happens often when patients move from a new state or country, but doctors do take other circumstances into account when deciding to bring on a new patient later in pregnancy.
If you do switch providers later in pregnancy, "it is best to try to stay on the schedule for recommended visits (every month until 28 weeks, every two weeks between 28 to 36 weeks and every week after 36 weeks), especially if you are high risk," Dr. Culwell cautions. If you are low risk, missing or delaying one visit while switching providers is probably fine.
Get access to your medical records
You have the right to access your medical records at any time, Dr. Culwell says. Your new provider can also request the records on your behalf if you give them permission to do so in writing and sign a release form.
If the relationship with your old doctor has frayed to the point where you no longer want to interact, you don't have to. "You don't even have to tell them you are leaving," says Eran Bornstein, M.D., vice chair of obstetrics at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "Speak with the front desk or nursing staff."
If you're up to it, you can also leave an honest letter about why you're leaving. "It takes five minutes, and it might make that provider spend some time on self-reflection and self-improvement," Dr. Amaru says.
Consider whether to remain at the same practice
Using a different doctor at the same facility can make switching logistically easier, Dr. Bornstein says.
"However," he cautions, "most group practices have shared call pools, so if you stay within the same practice, you may end up with your old provider if they are on call for after-hours problems or when you go into labor."
If you absolutely do not want to interact with that provider again and truly want a fresh start, you should look elsewhere.
Seek out referrals
The best way to find a new provider is through word of mouth — from friends, family or co-workers, says Dr. Culwell.
Another option is to ask your other routine care providers for a recommendation. "If you have doctors that you trust that take care of you for other things, ask them who they'd recommend for an OB/GYN," Dr. Bornstein says. "When patients ask me, I choose people that I think are clinically excellent and who I feel will fit well with that particular patient."
Research other doctors
Make sure the new doctor you choose is very experienced. "You want someone who knows how to deal with complications," Dr. Bornstein says, "not just the status quo situations."
While you can look at online ratings and reviews, take them with a grain of salt. "There's a tendency for patients who have had some unpleasant encounters to be more likely to write a review," he explains. Speaking to the doctor directly and looking at reviews may yield a clearer result for you.
Searching on qualified sites like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) can help as well. You can filter by location, medical subspecialties, clinical interest and language to find the right provider for you.
Navigate insurance
For many women, working with an in-network provider is essential. To make sure your new doctor is covered, visit the "Find a Provider" section of your insurance company's website, Dr. Culwell advises. If you have any questions, call your insurance company.
This is especially important for smaller carriers and government insurances that may have a limited pool of doctors to choose from, Dr. Bornstein points out. Also, double-check that the hospital where the provider delivers or operates is covered in your plan as well.
For Roxi, changing physicians at 38 weeks turned out to be the best decision. On January 9, 2023, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Emmy-Lynn Latta.
Emmy Pie, as her mom affectionately calls her, is now 7 months old. Roxi is thrilled to be a mom and says that if a mother-to-be finds herself in the unenviable position of having to switch doctors, she should listen to herself.
"You know what's best for you and your baby," she says.
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