Best OBs at GW

[Anonymous]

I recommend the opposite of PP- I went to GW specifically because I had a high risk pregnancy. I am the PP who recommended Bathgate and Ahmadzia. Ahmadzia, in particular, focuses her research on postpartum hemorrhages, which I have experienced twice before. Between the two of them, they came up with a comprehensive plan for my delivery including a new preventative treatment, that resulted in my first non traumatic delivery experience. Everything went smoothly, the delivery staff that day had all the medications, blood, and kits in place, and I was incredibly reassured through the whole process. My delivery was last weekend.

That said, the scheduling admin and the lack of ultrasound support in the last trimester were incredibly frustrating. But that is distinct from the actual care I received from medical staff.

[Anonymous]

Does Bathgate do deliveries? I'm looking for an MFM doc and was under the impression that the MFMs at GW don't deliver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I recommend the opposite of PP- I went to GW specifically because I had a high risk pregnancy. I am the PP who recommended Bathgate and Ahmadzia. Ahmadzia, in particular, focuses her research on postpartum hemorrhages, which I have experienced twice before. Between the two of them, they came up with a comprehensive plan for my delivery including a new preventative treatment, that resulted in my first non traumatic delivery experience. Everything went smoothly, the delivery staff that day had all the medications, blood, and kits in place, and I was incredibly reassured through the whole process. My delivery was last weekend.

That said, the scheduling admin and the lack of ultrasound support in the last trimester were incredibly frustrating. But that is distinct from the actual care I received from medical staff.

This is my first pregnancy so I'm new to all of this and currently under the care of my RE but hoping if I don't miscarry before 10 weeks to continue at GW-- can you expand on lack of ultrasound support? and what the scheduling issues are?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I recommend the opposite of PP- I went to GW specifically because I had a high risk pregnancy. I am the PP who recommended Bathgate and Ahmadzia. Ahmadzia, in particular, focuses her research on postpartum hemorrhages, which I have experienced twice before. Between the two of them, they came up with a comprehensive plan for my delivery including a new preventative treatment, that resulted in my first non traumatic delivery experience. Everything went smoothly, the delivery staff that day had all the medications, blood, and kits in place, and I was incredibly reassured through the whole process. My delivery was last weekend.

That said, the scheduling admin and the lack of ultrasound support in the last trimester were incredibly frustrating. But that is distinct from the actual care I received from medical staff.

This is my first pregnancy so I'm new to all of this and currently under the care of my RE but hoping if I don't miscarry before 10 weeks to continue at GW-- can you expand on lack of ultrasound support? and what the scheduling issues are?

I’m not the PP, but they lost most of their ultrasound techs last year so I think it was really hard to get an ultrasound appointment scheduled? (I was low risk in third trimester so this part didn’t affect me.) More generally, they switched to a new admin and medical records system in November and the changeover was extremely awful. I wasn’t able to book an appointment with either the office staff or the phone line between Nov 1 and when I delivered Dec 10 (I did get all my appointments; I just had to call 2-3 times to get finally passed off to the one admin who could schedule me). It seems to be improving marginally now — I had no issues booking and attending my six weeks postpartum appointment. That being said, the GW phone system is and has always been the definition of suck so I doubt that will ever get better. As a low risk patient, the occasionally difficult admin was a price I didn’t mind paying in exchange for really liking the actual medical care I received but I’ll let the MFM/high risk folks give you a better sense if it’s worth it in that situation.

Crossing my fingers your pregnancy sticks, OP.

[Anonymous]

Here’s a good thread describing the issues GW has had the past couple of months. From what I understand, things are improving now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a good thread describing the issues GW has had the past couple of months. From what I understand, things are improving now.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1017992.page#21411957

[Anonymous]

I have been having a good experience with Dr. Koo as my primary OB. I don't think you would see the MFM primarily unless you are very high risk? Or at last, you don't need to. I'm only slightly high risk though.

I don't recommend rotating among them, as you will get different advice from each one, as I found out. It is true you'll see whoever is on call when you actually deliver, but if you only meet each OB once or twice it's not like you will know anyone well anyway. Just my perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s a good thread describing the issues GW has had the past couple of months. From what I understand, things are improving now.

Currently, things are better, I think they do have at least one new ultrasound tech.

My advice is schedule as many appointments as possible all at once.

I was able to get all my extra monitoring scheduled right before my third trimester, which is weekly appointments for OB, NST, and two ultrasounds.

[Anonymous]

For a regular Ob, I liked Keller. She discovered my missed miscarriage and did my D&C. I also continued to see her for my annual.

I'm currently with the GW MFMs. Although Macri doesn't deliver, he's been the only one who doesn't seem rushed, explains concerns in detail, responds to my emails and even followed up with phone calls. Drs. Ahmadzia and Bathgate are good, but Ahmadzia never responds to my emails. I mentioned to Bathgate about some concerns and she never ordered any tests. I bought and did my own urinanalysis and culture at Labcorp. I had second trimester appointments canceled last minute, rescheduled and canceled again.

I went to see the MFMs at Inova Fairfax for a second opinion on placental issues. The difference was night and day. Admin and nursing staff were so much more helpful. The ultrasound technician emailed me photos, something GW won't do. Their ultrasound machines looked clearer. And rhe MFM doctor explained everything in great detail, reviewing my records beforehand and never making me feel rushed. For any placental issues, Fairfax has many protocols in place that GW doesn't seem to have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For a regular Ob, I liked Keller. She discovered my missed miscarriage and did my D&C. I also continued to see her for my annual.

I'm currently with the GW MFMs. Although Macri doesn't deliver, he's been the only one who doesn't seem rushed, explains concerns in detail, responds to my emails and even followed up with phone calls. Drs. Ahmadzia and Bathgate are good, but Ahmadzia never responds to my emails. I mentioned to Bathgate about some concerns and she never ordered any tests. I bought and did my own urinanalysis and culture at Labcorp. I had second trimester appointments canceled last minute, rescheduled and canceled again.

I went to see the MFMs at Inova Fairfax for a second opinion on placental issues. The difference was night and day. Admin and nursing staff were so much more helpful. The ultrasound technician emailed me photos, something GW won't do. Their ultrasound machines looked clearer. And rhe MFM doctor explained everything in great detail, reviewing my records beforehand and never making me feel rushed. For any placental issues, Fairfax has many protocols in place that GW doesn't seem to have.

I had a similar MFM experience in October, except my 2nd opinion was with Sibley MFMs after (yet another) bad experience in Bethesda office with Dr. Gallagher & the ultrasound tech there. Sibley MFM office was calm, the ultrasound images were so much clearer, and the technician spent a very long time getting the images she thought the MFM would want but then left the room and came back twice to get more images after confirming with the MFM. Then the MFM sat with us and explained everything they saw step-by-step in great detail, which was a refreshing experience after the GW Bethesda ultrasound tech scanned me for about 1 min total, Dr. Gallagher breezed through, and then blew off my questions about clearly worrisome findings. I lost that pregnancy, and my GW OB is in complete agreement with me that for my next pregnancy I'll be seeing the Sibley MFMs for all ultrasounds since my experience was so much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I had a similar MFM experience in October, except my 2nd opinion was with Sibley MFMs after (yet another) bad experience in Bethesda office with Dr. Gallagher & the ultrasound tech there. Sibley MFM office was calm, the ultrasound images were so much clearer, and the technician spent a very long time getting the images she thought the MFM would want but then left the room and came back twice to get more images after confirming with the MFM. Then the MFM sat with us and explained everything they saw step-by-step in great detail, which was a refreshing experience after the GW Bethesda ultrasound tech scanned me for about 1 min total, Dr. Gallagher breezed through, and then blew off my questions about clearly worrisome findings. I lost that pregnancy, and my GW OB is in complete agreement with me that for my next pregnancy I'll be seeing the Sibley MFMs for all ultrasounds since my experience was so much better.

I'm the pp above you, so sorry about your loss. Your experience is further convincing me to switch over to Inova Fairfax. I just need to find a separate Ob.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I had a similar MFM experience in October, except my 2nd opinion was with Sibley MFMs after (yet another) bad experience in Bethesda office with Dr. Gallagher & the ultrasound tech there. Sibley MFM office was calm, the ultrasound images were so much clearer, and the technician spent a very long time getting the images she thought the MFM would want but then left the room and came back twice to get more images after confirming with the MFM. Then the MFM sat with us and explained everything they saw step-by-step in great detail, which was a refreshing experience after the GW Bethesda ultrasound tech scanned me for about 1 min total, Dr. Gallagher breezed through, and then blew off my questions about clearly worrisome findings. I lost that pregnancy, and my GW OB is in complete agreement with me that for my next pregnancy I'll be seeing the Sibley MFMs for all ultrasounds since my experience was so much better.

I'm the pp above you, so sorry about your loss. Your experience is further convincing me to switch over to Inova Fairfax. I just need to find a separate Ob.

Thank you. Good luck finding your new OB. Honestly, the first thing I did once back in the car after my good experience that day at the Sibley MFM office, which is on the Sibley L&D floor, was to look up OBs who deliver at Sibley. Ultimately, though, I decided my GW OB (Sheth) is so amazing that I still want to stay with her.

[Anonymous]

I was high risk and extremely happy with Dr. Lesko at GW for both my pregnancies post-becoming high risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been having a good experience with Dr. Koo as my primary OB. I don't think you would see the MFM primarily unless you are very high risk? Or at last, you don't need to. I'm only slightly high risk though.

I don't recommend rotating among them, as you will get different advice from each one, as I found out. It is true you'll see whoever is on call when you actually deliver, but if you only meet each OB once or twice it's not like you will know anyone well anyway. Just my perspective.

Second for Dr. Koo! He delivered my first and had such incredible bedside manner, was so supportive of my wishes and coached me through the natural childbirth that I wanted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just make life easy and mix. You won’t control who is on call at delivery anyway.

I agree with this. I choose to see a different OB every time because I would rather tell them the day and time I want an appointment. It gives you a lot of flexibility to just see whoever. Plus it’s weird to develop a relationship and then get a totally different OB for delivery.