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I don't think so. I had a man both times. One I hated the other I loved.

I don't think so. I don't believe I've ever had a female doctor actually. I've seen some female NP's, but no Dr's.

I think that men are just as capable as women when it comes to being good doctors. In the same way that women can be just as insensitive as men are portrayed sometimes. I think that a good doctor is a good doctor, regardless of gender and the same goes for not so good (or even bad!) doctors. It's all about finding someone that you're comfortable with and trust, IMO.

I used to only want a female gyno until I met my OB. Even though I transferred to a birth center I am keeping him as my gynecologist because he's the best doctor I've ever had! Great bedside manner, no question is too dumb, and he really gets to know his patients.

I've had both good and bad general practitioners of both sexes.

I don't think male doctors are bad for women, but some women (like me!) just feel more comfortable with a female doctor. I knowall doctors deal with nudity/bodies all day every day, but I just feel comfortable with a female doctor seeing me naked than a male doctor.

Having said that, male doctors delivered both of my kids, and in the moment, I really didn't care who was down there. I just wanted those kids OUT, regardless of who was catching, lol!

I have had equal numbers of male and female doctors. I chose my current family doctor based on our relationship, and what I saw of their practice though work (he works at the Family Medicine Maternity clinic at our hospital on top of his own practice). Gender never played a part in my decision. I think writing off a doctor based on gender would be a big mistake!

I think both men and women can be great doctors. I personally just feel more comfortable with a female doctor. I think I would be embarrassed to ask a male doctor some of the questions I've had to ask my OB along the way. So I likely wouldn't get up getting as complete of care because I wouldn't ask all of my questions. But that's my issue, not the doctor's.

I've never had a bad male doctor...or female, for that matter!

However, it could be argued that men are historically bad for women in childbirth, by virtue of ignorance and sexism. History indicates that male western doctors pushed out traditional midwifery and medicalized birth in an attempt to gain control. In those terms, laboring on the back and routine episiotomies could simply be remnants of obstetrical sexism! It's something to think about, anyway.

@mrbee: I'm not sure I see your point. Are you saying that maternal and infant mortality improved because men started taking care of women in birth?

@mrbee: I think the reason that maternal and infant mortality rates have improved has much more to do with medical research and cleanliness, etc, than it has to do with the change from traditional midwives to male doctors.

The United States has a horrible infant and maternal mortality rate, much worse than Western Europe and in fact a lot of the world. In Western Europe, the majority of births are in fact attended by midwives, both in and outside the hospital. In countries like Great Britain, nearly every baby is delivered by a midwife unless there is a high-risk pregnancy or serious complication.

I'm not saying that the rates in America are the fault of men, I think they are the fault of a culture that treats birth as a medical problem. This practice of treating birth as an emergency that requires intervention is something that men are more naturally inclined to, I think, but it occurs in female doctors as well.

I do think the history of childbirth in the past century in AMERICA has been pretty awful, if you compare it to what it COULD be - by looking to other countries who treat birth as a normal process with as little intervention as possible.

I never cared weather my doc was male or female... I just care about how they treat me

i don't think that male doctors are bad for women, but my preference is for a female doctor. my pediatrician was a man, but as soon as i hit puberty i asked my mom to find me a female gp. i've been seeing a woman since i was 11 or 12. my gyno is a woman, but my ob practice consists of men and women. i only schedule ob appointments with men when an exam is not necessary. i only feel comfortable with a woman messing with my downstairs. of course, during birth i don't care if it's a man or woman doctor as long as they pump in the drugs and get the baby out asap.

I think that either is good for most things. I am not sure that a doctor who has never breastfed (male or female) can be as helpful in that aspect. But I think that goes to many different areas. For example, our pediatrician wasn't good for us because they didn't have experience digestive issues which for us was a problem. So I am not sure that gender is as important as ability to relate and help.

I never had one until I got this OB and I think he is fantastic. Guess it just depends on the person/their personality/their training, etc. He is actually in practice with his wife and they deliver as a team!

I have a male OB and I love him! He's super caring and warm and had him deliver both my babies!

@Arden: I'm interested to know... Would you only want a female OB who is also a mother? In my opinion a female who hasn't had a baby really doesn't have any more insight into what a pregnant woman is going through than a man.

@MamaMoose: Yes, ideally I'd want an OB or midwife that had given birth.
But for a gyn, I just like the fact that she's female. She has the same anatomy, she knows what menstrual cycles feel like, etc.