Many women choose to have their own obstetrician for their pregnancy and birth care, especially if they have private health insurance. Obstetricians can provide care for women with pregnancies that are progressing normally, as well as women with health conditions or complications with their pregnancy or their baby(s) and women with multiple pregnancies or premature births.
When a woman chooses her own obstetrician, she may decide to have her baby at a public or private hospital delivery suite or birth centre, depending on her personal preferences and where her obstetrician visits. The pregnancy must be progressing normally to use a birth centre. If you need to see another practitioner (such as a dietician, social worker,
genetic counsellors, physiotherapist or childbirth educator), the obstetrician may refer you to a service provided by the hospital you are going to, or a private practitioner in the local community.
Pregnancy visits
The birth
Pain relief options
Postnatal care
6-8 week postnatal check
Fees
Pregnancy visits. Routine pregnancy visits are usually provided at the obstetrician's private rooms. Your obstetrician may take your blood tests or they may order your blood tests to be done at private pathologists. Some doctors will do brief, informal ultrasounds in their rooms at routine pregnancy visits. However, formal ultrasounds done by qualified ultrasonographers are organised at the hospital you are attending or at a private medical imaging service. You can read more in
ultrasounds.
Wait times for appointments with your obstetrician are usually reasonable as they are generally scheduled times (depending on how busy they are and how well they are running to time). Your obstetrician may work in partnership with another obstetrician (or employ a midwife) to perform routine pregnancy checks if your appointment coincides with them being called to deliver a baby.