First Ob/gyn Appt...

I would say the looking at vaginas all day part is a not fun, but necessary, part of a job that they mostly decide to do to help women, prevent and treat disease, and help bring new lives into the world. I wish there were more in my geographical area - I have to drive 45 miles to find one at all!

You will be fine having this baby at 38, I had my youngest child when I was 35 and all went well. I think the people that go in to to ob/gyn are really in to it because they desire to take care of people or it could be the thought of deliverying that precious gift of a baby. They do not think of it as looking at or examining vaginas all day. lol. Many blessings to you with this pregnancy and baby.

My dad is an OB. He has been practicing for 35 years and still LOVES his job. He loves delivering babies. He STILL comes home from work and will say, "I delivered the cutest set of twins today!" or he'll feel sad because he had to deliver a fetal demise. He says he loves helping couples become a family (he also specializes in fertility). He is a very kind man with the biggest heart I've ever seen. When I was a kid, someone delivered a TON of firewood to our house and he said, "They couldn't afford their baby's delivery, so this is how they can pay me. I will take care of the cost." Not all men who become OB/GYN's are nasty people with dirty minds. If anything, I think they are MORE tolerant because they are willing to take care of that part of our bodies that are a HUGE part of our overall health, as women.

I went to high school with a girl who said throughout high school that she wanted to be a gynecologist. I asked her why... thinking the same things you mentioned. She always said that she wants to do something that empowered women. Something that helped them. She always mentioned that what could be more empowering that helping a woman learn about her own body. Learn to be a healthier person. She mentioned that many times an OB is the first one to spot a more serious issues with a woman. Plus, every doctor has to poke and prod...turn and cough??? She said that she could imagine no greater joy than helping bring a new life into the world. She loved the idea of being the first hands to touch a new baby. I googled her not too long ago. She seems pretty renowned in the field of gynecology, so I suppose she reached her goal of being a doctor.

That is such an odd question. And an immature one.

My father was an OB/GYN and an excellent one. There is certainly more to being an OB/GYN than simply looking at vagina's all day. It is a science. And he was more than just a baby deliverer and check up man. He was also a highly skilled surgeon who saved many women's lives and many babies lives. He was devoted to medicine and science. He was brilliant. Worked his way though school, hardly slept as he was up delivering babies most nights and provided a nice life for his family. And he made a difference in the lives of many women, children and families.

And why did he choose to be an OB/GYN? Because when he was a resident, he was mentored by the most fabulous doctor - an OB/GYN and that convinced him that this was the field that he had to be in.

My dad is an ob/gyn. People do it because delivering healthy babies is immensely gratifying. Because there are a limited number of medical fields where the patients are healthy and HAPPY to see you and the outcome is almost always HAPPY. Because without them women will die in childbirth.

Also. Because family planning is a huge issue in the developing world and helping women avoid perineal fistulas and repairing them makes an IMMENSE difference in women's lives. Because some physicians believe strongly enough in a woman's right to chose that they make ensuring it their profession. Because people develop research interests in all aspects of health and disease.

A ob-gyn here was in medical school hoping to specialize in surgery when he and his wife were stuck in a huge traffic jam in L.A. While waiting for traffic to clear someone came running up and down the freeway lanes screaming they needed a Dr. He and his wife both got out and ran to the car to see what was wrong, and found a woman just about ready to deliver. He says he reached thru the window and delivered his first baby. When it was all done and over he turned to his wife and told her this is what he need to do. He changed his direction in college and became an OB. He said he still loves delivering babies and just figures seeing all that other stuff is the cost of having the honor of bringing babies into the world.
Now if you ever get a chance to see the tv show DIRTY JOBS, watch and then try and figure out what in the world people were thinking when they applied for some of those positions! Other than, its a job, it needs to be done, and it pays money, why would anyone do some of those things.

YAY GOOD APPOINTMENT!! :)

I actually asked my OBGYN what possessed him to do this line of work ;)

I LOVE my OBGYN, (Dr Todd Billett, Womens Physicians for Women, WOOT!), and he told me he got into it for tons of various reasons. (He's also one of the only docs here who can use the DA VINCI surgery stuff; he is here in VA but can perform surgeries all over the world with that thing!)... mostly, he does it for healthy babies. He wants all babies to be healthy and get the best start. For such a flirt and tough guy, he love love loves babies. He's so kind... when my insurance ran out, he would still see me after my kids were born to make sure I was okay (had lots of issues with cervical cancer). He specializes in multiples and high risk pregnancies. He has never forgotten a patients name. He knows their kids and their stories. He's just great! If there was any one person MEANT to be an OBGYN, it's him. He defintely found his calling :)

He just wants women and babies to be healthy :)

Well....I have several friends that are OB's and they have gotten that question a million times. It comes down to being in medical school, choosing a specialty and most really loved delivering babies--so thats why they got in. Others like it because there is a good balance of surgical procedures and deliveries--especially if you work in a family planning clinic. They don't think of it the way we do--that our vagina has a special place in their heart or that they will remember it. Its a body part to them--a routine body part and they don't make a big deal about it. Its normal to them.

M

Money honey!
Glad your feeling good and all is well!

JOB security! There is always a need for OBGYN's. Also, it is a very complicated part of the medical field. Because they are caring for 2 patients in 1 person, there is a lot of room for complications and problems. I'm sure there are a lot of people who love a challenge and want to do this for that reason. The downside is the probing of the occasional smelly vagina. HA!
Congratulations and good luck with your pregnancy!

I would only wonder why they do it because ob/gyn's have one of the highest malpractice insurance rates of all the specialties. My ob/gyn retired early because she could barely afford the insurance anymore. Ridiculous.

I don't think it's an immature question. I don't think the poster is dissing OB/GYNs at all, but wondering what calls them to the profession.

I think like any profession, there's something about it they like. There has to be, otherwise who would be in medicine at all? My grandmother was a nurse and will tell you about all sorts of wounds and bodily functions, but she did it in part because she loved being able to administer care and make a difference. Friend of mine is an optometrist and loves disease because it's interesting and she can often make a big impact in someone's life by treating the disease and making them see better.

One of the reasons I love my OB is because she helped me through all the getting pregnant business and sincerely rejoiced with us when I got pregnant and had my daughter.

While delivering babies will always be a profession, there are a lot of malpractice suits and a lot of doctors are getting out of that part of the practice because of it. Some of the doctors at my OB/GYN office no longer deliver babies or deal with pregnancy for financial reasons.

LOL! I have been dying to ask my (cute) OB this very question! Maybe I will next visit.

Well I can see why people would want to bring babies into the world all the time. How amazing! But the vagina part, you got me stumped too. My OB is rather attractive too. Awkwarrrrd!

Glad everything is going well with you and your baby bean!

I do wonder the same thing. I'd want to be a midwife if it didn't involve actually poking around in vaginas. I love pregnancy and delivery stuff, but I guess I just don't love it *enough!

Congrats! To me that first ultrasound really made it sink in..."I really am pregnant" :)

I think like with any specialty the person is more involved with the biological appeal than anything. Or at least that is what I think. (I'm sure there are multiple other reasons)

I mean why does someone want to be a podiatrist? Or proctologist?

Or how about a oncologist where a vast majority of your patients die.

LOVE the Phineas and Ferb reference! I'm cracking up! And I have no idea why anyone would choose that profession. Mabey the saving grace is delivering babies. :)

Congrats on your little one! Oh, and I HATE first time OB appointments! At my first appt. when I was pregnant with my daughter, the nurse came in and immediately said, "OK, time to get naked!" and whipped out a giant speculum and stood there, looking at me, waiting for me to take my pants off. Seriously? I told her to leave and work on her professionalism. Morning sickness made me crabby!

Not immature, imo.
I am positively phobic about male OB/GYN's, I can't wrap my head around it either. It's not that I think they are perverts, I just don't want any other man looking at me (partly) naked. I don't know what would motivate a man to choose this profession. I also know there are great male OB/GYN's out there-just 'no thanks' from me. ;)
But I can totally understand what would motivate a woman.
If I had my life to do over again I think I would have studied to become a midwife. I am so fascinated by all aspects of childbirth/the human reproductive system.

Congrats on seeing your little rice baby! (That's what mine looked like. :) )
Aren't internal u/s's fun! : /

You are so funny!
But I have wondered the same thing!

Growing up, my classmate's Dad... was an OB/GYN. The entire town knew and especially the kids! The kids, got ribbed for it. Teased.