Giving Birth in Turkey: Choosing the Right Obstetrician

You are pregnant, congratulations! This is most probably the happiest moment of your life, enjoy it for a second! But not too long, because now it is time for you to think about how to lead a healthy pregnancy. Choosing the right obstetrician who will accompany you during these nine months is as important as the physical and mental preparation both for the delivery and for the post-natal period.

If you are in harmony with your current gynecologist, then proceed with them because the more you know each other the better it is for the pregnancy period. You will need someone whom you can rely on, someone who will be there for you whenever you need, someone who will support you in every sense. He or she will be the second person after your significant other to support you in this process. But if you have doubts about your obstetrician for any reason (communication problems, busy schedule of obstetrician, convenience reasons, the distance of his clinic, insurance related problems, etc), then you will need to pick another professional for this journey. In my case, I was obsessed with finding a physician specialized in natural birth. In Turkey, despite the government’s recent efforts, C-section has been the most popular birth method. In 2017, 53% of the births in Turkey were given through C-sections. In 2016, this rate was 37%.

When choosing the right obstetrician, the first thing you should do is to decide what is important for you. In my case, the location or them working at a certain hospital was not important. The most important thing was to give a natural birth and my plan was to avoid C-section as long as everything went according to plan. That’s why I prepared a shortlist of obstetricians who stick with natural birth. You should consider what is the most important criteria for choosing the right obstetrician for yourself. Is it the proximity? Is it their personality? Do you need a doctor who likes to talk, explaining in detail what is going on in your body and what you need to do? Do you need a doctor accepted by your insurance? Do you need a doctor that works at a certain hospital?

To find the right obstetrician, first ask your friends and acquaintances if they would recommend their obstetrician. A friend’s recommendation is always important because she knows both her obstetrician and you. However, keep in mind that during pregnancy, your character may change! You may become more sensitive or on the contrary, more carefree.

Other sources you can consult are some websites called Kadınlar Kulübü and Doktor Sitesi. But a face to face meeting with the doctor will be the best way to be sure. Even though it will be an additional cost, it is a cost that you should bear because it will have a positive effect on your pregnancy in the long run. If you think that he/she is not the right one then you will need to organize a second appointment with a different one. In the end, perhaps you will have to see a doctor twice in the same week, just to be sure.

While choosing your obstetrician, please be careful about their specialty. Some are obstetrician-gynecologists, some are perinatologists who specialize in difficult pregnancies. Some obstetricians are IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) specialized. You should find one that suits your exact needs.

Regarding the location, it is true that seeing an obstetrician in a hospital is easier because they work better in an environment they’re comfortable in, where they know the management team, the nurses and other doctors. However, it is not an obligation, as many obstetricians who treat their patients in their clinic can offer a few hospital alternatives to their patients.

Don’t wait until the last weeks of your pregnancy to figure out which hospital to choose. If you wait until the last moment to talk about this with your doctor, you may get some unwanted surprises. What I have learnt during my pregnancies is to ask whatever question comes to my mind. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, because at the end of the day, this is your pregnancy.

Last but not least, here is some advice for those who are not yet pregnant but who are considering it. Although the law is stricter than in other countries, Turkey is becoming an IVF treatment destination due to the quality of the treatment and the low cost when compared abroad. The government encourages IVF, providing financial support to couples who have had difficulty for three trials.

Many quality in vitro fertility clinics exist in Turkey such as Bahçeci, Eurofertil, Acıbadem Tüp Bebek Merkezi. So you can be very confident if you are looking to have such a treatment in Turkey. However, please bear in mind that egg, sperm and embryo donation is not allowed and that you have to be married if you want an IVF in Turkey. You can read more about in vitro fertility treatments here.

I hope that these tips will help you with this difficult process of choosing the right obstetrician. In the next part of this series, I will be giving you recommendations for a healthy and comfortable pregnancy as well as some tips on preparation for the delivery. Stay tuned!