Did you know that your selection of a pregnancy care provider has a huge impact on the birth of your child? Besides affecting your personal safety and health, prenatal care also affects the well being of your baby. In addition to this, when you have a good pregnancy care provider, you are able to enjoy the entire experience of being pregnant and giving birth.

If the current prenatal care being offered to you is unsatisfactory, it might be time to switch to another care provider. Here are some of the common signs that indicate the need for a new pregnancy care provider

• You aren’t getting answers to your questions

A good midwife or obstetrician should be happy to give you answers to all your questions. In fact, they should ask you for any follow-up questions or doubts so that you feel absolutely comfortable at any stage of your pregnancy. If your care provider seems impatient or uninterested in answering important questions, then it may be time to look for another care provider.

• There is no discussion on the birth plan

‘It is your midwife/doctor’s responsibility to initiate a discussion about your birth preferences. He/she should be open to hearing your personal preferences and questions about things such as pain relief, who will be at the birth and how the third stage of labour will be managed.  A good care provider should be able to answer your questions whilst supporting your decisions.

• Complications in pregnancy

‘In cases of pregnancy complications (e.g. preterm labour, breech presentation, bleeding) your current care provider may lack the experience or skill to provide the level of care required and you may be required to transfer to an obstetrician or tertiary hospital for care.