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@MamaMoose: I don't think it's JUST men that caused the problem of treating birth as a medical problem, or that continue it today. There are plenty (probably the majority) of female doctors that have the same problem. Even midwives sometimes come into birth with this attitude.
But I don't think we can say that men make it better, either, after seeing that the birth rates are far better in countries where mostly women deliver babies. It's not the fault of men, but it isn't better because of them either.
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@Arden: This thread really isn't about birth being a medical problem, and which gender is to blame for that. I understand though that that's a subject that you feel very strongly about.
In any case, your comments have just made me more depressed about how men are perceived at times.
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@Arden: but I think Mr Bee's point wasn't necessarily that male doctors are BETTER just that they aren't worse/bad for women. And I agree with him there.
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@MamaMoose @MrBee: Ditto. I agree.
@PrettyLizy: Exactly!
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@Arden - your opinion seems to be based on quite selective information. According to the UN and WHO, some 95%+ of maternal deaths (which are 1,000+ a DAY, in this day and age) are in Africa and Asia where mostly women help women deliver babies (and mostly midwives versus doctors).
Yes, the maternal death rate is higher in the US than some European countries, but less then 1% of maternal deaths occur in "developed" countries to begin with.
Seems a little misleading or naive to say that as a blanket statement countries where more often women help women deliver babies see lower death rates, since actually, that isn't true at all.
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@yoursilverlining: I don't want to continue on this subject because I don't want to hijack this thread with another subject, but I want to clarify something.
I was not saying that female providers = good rates.
I was saying treating birth as natural and keeping interventions low = good rates.In much of Africa and many Asian countries (as well as Eastern Europe), interventions are very common.
Untrained midwives intervene with birth consistently by doing things like pulling on the umbilical cord, not allowing women to eat or drink during or for many hours after birth, etc. This isn't a case of trained, capable women providing low intervention but research-based care.There are many male doctors that provide excellent, low intervention, research based care.
I did say that countries like the United Kingdom that use primarily women for care have excellent rates. My point was not that they are better because they have women, but that they have women and they are still better. Therefore, men do not equal good care, and women do not equal good care.
The comment that medical care in the United States has improved since care was taken over by mostly male doctors from traditional midwives is what bothered me. It has nothing to do with the change in gender, it has to do with the change in birth culture.
And because @Mr Bee pointed out that this conversation is far more about birth culture than it is about gender, I agree that this thread isn't really the appropriate place to continue it.
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If we're talking about all doctors, I do have a male dentist and a male optometrist and I've seen a male family practice doctor a couple times. I'm totally comfortable with those situations, since they don't generally include me being naked.
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@Honeybee: if you're getting naked at the optometrist something shady is going on!! : )
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I only see women docs. My reasons are different than others though. Women are less than 50% of medical professionals and I strongly support gender equality in the sciences and one way to do that is support women providers, especially in specialties where women are under represented (orthopedics, surgery, ophtho). It's my way of giving back to other women who worked their asses off in medical school sometimes working twice as hard to be seen as good as their male counterparts.
For that matter both my kids are girls so a woman pediatrician only makes sense as they grow up.
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@Mrs. Jacks: I have the same perspective! I prefer women doctors because I would like to give them my business to support their efforts to make it to the positions they are in!
That said, I do not have exclusively female docs right now due to insurance and logistics, but when I have a choice, I always choose a female doc for those reasons.
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I've always had male doctors, except my dermatologist...that's the only female doctor I've had.
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Right now all the doctors my husband and I go to are female. I just realized that. The only exception is my husband's urologist. My first gynecologist was a male, and I only stopped going to him because I moved. I'm comfortable either way.
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Male or female, I think it depends on the doctor! I figured going to a female OB was the way to go and never considered a male doctor. I didn't quite like her and was referred to my male OB who is AMAZING. Wonderful bedside manner, very caring and gentle! I think we kinda expect these qualities from women, but men are capable of these qualities as well!
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@mrbee: In the past, I've gone to female GYN's because I was just kind of shy for some reason about seeing male doctors for that kind of stuff. My OBGYN now, however, is a man and a fabulous doctor. He's super and I would recommend him to anyone! Outside the arena of OBGYNs, I see a mix of males and females simply based on their ability, bedside manner, etc.
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My docs/dentists are all been male except for my OB/GYN. I agree with @Mrs. Blue that I choose based on experience and bedside manner.
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i don't think they are BAD for women, but i prefer female doctors when talking about lady parts and for the most part, that's all i've gone to the doctor for (annuals, PAP, etc). i've had many other doctors that were males for my dentist, tonsils, etc. but for the general lady stuff, i prefer a woman.
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I use a mix of male and female medical professionals. I try to be an educated consumer and do my research to find someone that has the appropriate training and mindset to treat my family.
I have always had a male OB/GYN and while I delivered at a hospital that uses midwives to attend the birth, the midwives and attending OB had not ever given birth. Some of the postpartum nurses and lactation consultants hadn't either, so I don't think it makes much difference if you use a man or woman in these situations. It is more a matter of comfort and agreement with philosophy.
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