If you’ve noticed an abnormal symptom related to your reproductive systems, such as painful periods, heavy bleeding, or abdominal pain, you may have to visit a gynecologist to carry out some examination and determine if you need treatment.
Even without abnormal symptoms, you need regular gynecological appointments to preserve and maintain your reproductive health.
Medical experts recommend that young girls have their first visit to the gynecologist between 13 – 15 years. If you’re past this age and have not seen a gynecologist, you can schedule an appointment with one.
Every woman needs a gynecologist who would be in charge of handling her reproductive and sexual health issues. You can discuss different issues with your gynecologist and get the right care needed to ensure you remain healthy.
During your gynecological appointments, you would be discussing personal health issues and things most people find embarrassing, so you need a gynecologist you can trust and feel comfortable enough to freely share your problems.
Choosing the right gynecologist is important as the gynecologist would guide you through different life stages, so here are things to look for in gynecologists while searching for a suitable gynecologist.
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Good recommendations for a Gynecologist
Before choosing a gynecologist, you want to confirm if people you trust, like your female friends, relatives, and primary health care professional, will recommend them. You can ask for recommendations and find out the doctor’s bedside manners, experience, and skill.
Good reviews
When you’ve gotten recommendations from people you trust, check their reviews. Reviews are available on different trusted platforms and the doctor’s website. Some websites ask patients to rate a doctor based on specific factors like:
- Staff friendliness
- Average wait time
- Office environment
- Ease of scheduling an appointment
- Ability to explain conditions to the patient’s understanding
- Trustworthiness
You would likely see many reviews for each gynecologist. If you see one or two negative reviews, you may have nothing to worry about, but consider avoiding a gynecologist who has many negative reviews.
Experience
During your search for gynecologists online, ensure you check their qualifications and experience. You would find the doctor’s bio on their website or on sites that provide reviews. Ensure you check for the following:
- The doctor’s specialties
- Certification with the appropriate governing bodies
- Where the gynecologist went to medical school and had their residency
- Affiliated hospitals
- Whether the doctor has had any disciplinary actions, complaints, or malpractice suits
- Duration of practice
Find out the doctor’s specialty and experience in treating certain conditions because some specialize in gynecology, while others specialize in obstetrics. This is particularly important if you need an evaluation for a specific condition such as endometriosis or pelvic inflammatory disease.
Accepted insurance
The cost of your treatment is an important factor to consider when choosing a gynecologist. If the gynecologist does not accept your insurance, you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket for your treatment, which may be expensive.
Check your insurance company to know the gynecologists in your area in their network before you start your search for gynecologists. This will help you narrow down your choices before your start the search.
Shared values
Your gynecologist would be your confidant on pregnancy and birth control-related issues, so you need a doctor who shares the same values as you on these issues. This helps you avoid uncomfortable situations where your gynecologist has a different opinion on a vital issue.
Good bedside manners
If your doctor is rude and has a dismissive bedside manner, you may lose trust and confidence in the doctor regardless of their skill and experience.
Having a doctor who respects your decisions and listens to you is important because it makes it easy for you to be open about your problems.
Your comfort
The gynecologist would perform gynecological exams on you and ask personal questions about your sexual and reproductive health, so you need to feel comfortable with the doctor at all times to receive the best possible care.
Most women find the gender of the gynecologist to be an issue and prefer to have a female doctor attend to them. Some religions and cultures direct their women to see a female gynecologist, so you can factor this in before choosing your gynecologist.
However, consider a provider who would give you proper care, available within your network, and convenient to visit.
Affiliation with a trusted hospital
You would be visiting your gynecologist’s hospital for reproductive health-related treatments and tests or to deliver your baby. Ensure the gynecologist’s affiliated hospital operates with high standards.
While evaluating a hospital, check the following.
- The death rate for different procedures and conditions
- Reviews from patients concerning the services and care received
- Percentage of complications and infections after surgery
Ensure you consider the hospital’s location because you may need to visit the hospital regularly if you develop a chronic condition in the future. Driving a long distance to assess medical care may interfere with your treatments and follow-up appointments.
Your gynecologist plays a vital role in your reproductive health and general wellbeing. You need to find the right gynecologist in London to avoid certain issues and preserve your reproductive health.
If you need a gynecologist you can trust to cater to all your reproductive and health needs, visit Gynae Clinic today or contact 020 7183 1049 to schedule an appointment today.
