Ob Gyn History: Fill & Download for Free

Well there was a moment in Florida history when OB gyns refused to deliver the babies born to lawyers. With good reason.That is the only time I can recall that happening.Doctors don’t refuse care to anyone.

My mother had a OB/gyn she really liked and trusted.I was not having any problems with my periods, and I wasn’t sexually active, but when I was a senior in high school, my mother made me an appoint to see her OB/gyn, just to talk. I wasn’t going to have a PAP smear, or anything, unless I wanted to experience one with someone I knew. I was just going to talk, and get an introduction to what OB/gyns did (among other things, I was shown a speculum, and told what it was for, but it was not used on me, and the mechanics and purpose of PAP smears was explained), and also get shown (by a female nurse) the proper way to do a breast self-exam.My mother wasn’t comfortable herself with coming out and saying “When you decide to be sexually active, which will probably be soon, since you are about to start college, get yourself to either a gynecologist, or a Planned Parenthood clinic, and also, make your potential partner get tested for HIV (it was 1984). If you need to get tested yourself as a good-faith act, do it.” But I got that lecture, very calmly and gently from the doctor, and I took it to heart.I have always made a new partner get tested, and I never once had sex without using birth control, except when my husband and I were actually trying to conceive.I never had an unplanned pregnancy, and I am HIV negative, even though I first became sexually active during a very dangerous time in the country’s history.I also have always faithfully done my self-exams, and gotten my PAP tests done regularly. That Q&A my mother arranged for me started me on some good habits, and succeeded in what she primarily set out to do— made me not afraid of gynecologists.I realize that not every woman has a doctor she likes and trusts, but if she does, and can afford an appointment that is probably not covered by insurance, this is a very good thing to do for a daughter.ETA: I just thought for the record, I’d add a little bit more about this OB/gyn. My mother first connected with him in the early 1970s, and he wasn’t the doctor who delivered me (she wasn’t crazy about that doctor), but he was the doctor who had delivered my brother. He was a strong supporter of breastfeeding in the early 70s, which was a rare creature, and also of legal abortion. Yes, he was a man, but finding a woman OB/gyn at that time, even in New York, was a challenge, and he had very empowered nurses. According to my mother, the nurses called him by his first name, it wasn’t a workplace where they called him “Dr.,” while he called them by their first names. And in the early 1970s, he had the savvy to ask patients if they wanted a female nurse present at an exam for their comfort.My mother stayed with this doctor for as long as she lived in New York. When she moved to Maine after my father died, her new gyn was a woman, but she always thought this man was great at his job. When he died, she sent flowers.Personally, I have always sought out women OB/gyns, and women PCPs as well, but I did like this man when I had this initial consult.

Yes, and I was very upset at the appointment.It happened about a month ago. i went it for my pap smear. I have to admit, it had been 2 years since the last time I went, I know it is supposed to be yearly (especially since I had mild cervical dysplasia 9 years ago), but I hadn’t gone because I gave my children priority. I had been taking my daughter to the gastro because of constipation issues, my son to a psychologist, and our step daughter to preparation courses for a high school admission exam. Saturday was my only free day that I could go because I work full time in the weekdays, and sunday is closed. So basically I did not find the time and money to go.Anyway, I went for my pap smear and the ob/gyn was being a little aggressive in the way he was talking to me. He was questioning me, or scolding me for not going. He would not let me finish talking, kept interrupting me and so on.So I was already angry, and he asked me about some lab work he had requested the last time I went. I did all the lab work, I went to a family doctor to have him interpret them for me, since I did not want to pay the high fee for ob/gyn just to tell me all my tests came out fine. And I also mentioned that the thyroid test was taken twice, because I visited a cardiologist due to arm pain and palpitations and he requested the exam again.He asked me why I went to see a cardiologist. I explained that we have family history of heart attacks. My grandfather died of a heart attack when he was 36. Both my grandmother and mother have hypertension. So I got scared when I started getting left arm pain out of nowhere, palpitations and my hands and feet would numb out of nowhere. First he ordered blood work, an electro, chest x-ray and everything came out fine. So the doctor told me I needed to change my diet and start exercising and we will see how I felt after that.Soon after, my uncle had a heart attack. Turns out, he did not have hypertension, he did not have high cholesterol, but he had block arteries. Because it is hereditary. The cardiologist told my uncle’s wife, that all family members needed to check their arteries, because this runs in the family. And it is not caused by cholesterol or any of that. He mentioned my uncle’s siblings, as well as their children had to check themselves. My cousin also had heart problems when she was a child. He said that the tests I did are not enough. There was a special sonogram to check arteries and well as the stress test.My other uncle did these tests, and he also had blocked arteries. He was very close to having a heart attack. My aunt came out fine, but now she is hypertense as well. My mother went but was not able to finish the stress test because it was too much for her. But it appears she was fine as well.So now I know I need to continue with these other tests just for peace of mind. I haven’t had arm pain anymore, but I still have circulatory issues, my feet are always swollen, even in the morning. My hands and feet sometimes numb when I sleep. Out of nowhere I get a purple bruise on my hip on the side that I sleep. And I have woken up many times struggling to breathe.Now knowing this history and my symptoms, I mentioned to the ob/gyn that I still have these tests pending, (remember I was already angry because of the way he was talking to me) and he tells me that I do not need these tests.He said it is very unlikely that I have any heart disease. That in women it is more common after menopause.At this point I was already crying out of frustration. My husband has never supported me when I tell him of my worries, he thinks I exaggerate or must be hypochondriac or something. He goes with me to all my appointments, but I know inside he is thinking that it is a waste of money because I am fine. So now my ob/gyn is backing up my husband that I am delusional.He asked me why I am crying, and my husband answers that I do not like to admit when I am wrong.I got more upset and said that is not it. I know what I am feeling, it’s my body. And he answers, yes but he is a doctor. And I said, but he is not a cardiologist. So the ob/gyn apologized and said he shouldn’t have talked about something that was not his business. He just thinks that I would be wasting my money if I go take those tests.So the bad advice the ob/gyn gave me is to not continue with the heart tests despite my symptoms and family history, all because of probability.