For me, it's been more about experience and care.

I've seen both women and men in state health departments. All my experiences in these were AWFUL!

I saw both women and men in Planned Parenthood. Again, AWFUL.

When I saw gynecologists in private practice, I had much better luck. My favorite gynecologist was a woman (unfortunately, she had a stroke and passed a few years ago). She was very gentle and was careful to use warm instruments. She also talked through everything and explained any issues in detail.

In a way, I was very much at ease with her because she was a lesbian. I'm sure it had no bearing on her qualifications as a doctor, but in my mind, it meant that she knew how to work with my delicate equipment. I suppose that anything that comforts a woman psychological is good during an exam.

I also saw a man who was my gynecologist/obstetrician for a time. He was also wonderful - very gentle, informative and thorough.

I see a male and wouldn't have it any other way. I go to the same ob/gyn that my mom has been seeing since before I was born. In fact my gyno delivered me and he and his partner delivered my sister (as my mom says, never go during shift change or there will be more people in the room than you really want;) )

He is very nice and gentle and always looks out for the best for me. When I had to have surgery he actually called to apologize to say he wanted to change the surgery so a doctor he trusted could assist.

I got very sick my junior year of college with female issues (so i thought based on symptoms). The only covered doctor in the area was female so I went. It was the worst doctor experience i've ever had. She was mean, started out by talking about my weight issues. I probably should have realized this office was horrible when on the phone they're diagnosisng me with a miscarriage based on symptons. EXCUSE ME!! It turned out to be a blood disease and thankfully i only had to see her once since i then went under the care of a hematologist.

I don't know what i'm going to do when i move b/c i don't want to change doctors.:rolleyes:

My first-ever gyno experience was an emergency when I was 15 for ovarian cysts. The only person available was a male doctor, and I was traumatized. I've seen a female ever since just because I feel more comfortable talking to her about things. She's not necessarily high on personality, but she knows what she's talking about and is very professional.

I think it's just a matter of personal preference. I have friends that will only see males.

Having delivered 8 babies, I've seen a ton of doctors and I'd say that they averaged out to be the same. However, if I'd had a choice, I would've seen only women for OB. A woman delivered my first one and she never made any stupid comments like the ones her male partner made. This is what he told me before I had my first one and I stupidly believed him:

"Oh, labor pains feel like gas pains. You can do it naturally."

Yeah, right! ASLFRose, who's tiny now, weighed 8 lbs. 7 oz. And I'm little and she was my first! The first thing I wanted to do after delivering her was go after him with a club.

A woman OB, especially one who had given birth, neeeevver would have said that.

My first gynecologist that I ever went to was a man. He was my mother's ob/gyn and delivered both my sister and me.

After graduating from college, it was difficult for me to travel back to SoFla for appointments so I found a female ob/gyn in Orlando that was recommended to me by a sorority sister.

Now that I'm in Atlanta, I have to find another.

I don't have a preference of a male or female gynecologist. My only requirement is that they're a good doctor and I'm comfortable with them.

i go to women gyno's-who better to sympthasize with pms symptoms and labor pains, than someone who has actually personally experienced them?

I have had both. My ob who delivered my son was male and he was the BEST dr in the entire world....very sweet, informative, senistive to my needs and talked to me on a non- medical persons level. Since i moved i have run the gamut of male dr's who are crud! Should never have lic. to be a dr.

My current dr is female and wish i had her before i had an emergency hysterecotomy at 36. The dr i had he was so clinical and nothng would change his mind. She reviewed the records and said we could of avoided the hesterectomy all together.

That's heartbreaking!! ((((((((cutiepatootie)))))))) No one should ever go through unnecessary surgery, especially one so final!

I wanted to add that, when I told my (since retired) family doctor which gynecologist I see, he was very happy, and said that she was (and I quote) "the best female cancer doctor in the East." That played quite a role in my deciding to stick it out with her, even while she was ill herself!

I see a female gyn but have had a male, once, when the female had to go to the hospital for an emergency with another patient. It was either have him see me or reschedule, which was not an option. I think I was less nervous having him see me bc I didn't have any time to think about it. While I agree that women usually are more understanding about things, I think men are less judgemental when it comes to some topics that come up in a doctor's office.

The doctor I see here in NYC I've reccommended to so many friends, she's got a great teacher patient base now! LOL

Yeah the finality about is what makes me sad and very depressed at times because i wanted more than 1 child and the fact at 36 i am put automatically into menopause really angers me at times and also again very depressed. The dr i have now she is a very caring and compassionate dr so to chalk it up 2 very good ob/gyn and 3 really bad ones.

Can you PM me her name, so I can see if she's on my insurance? I have to change docs because of my new insurance. :) I don't have to go for a while...but sometimes it's nice to have some names.

I've only had female OB/GYNS for regular exams. I think I've had an emergency or two that required I see a guy--but the experiences must not have been fine, since I don't remember anything bad about it. In my hometown, it wasn't until about 92 or 93 that a female gyno was around, so my mother had to go to men out of necessity. Now, there are tons of women gynos around. I had two I absolutely adored--but, because of the stupid Florida malpractice insurance, they decided it was too expensive to practice the way they wanted to.

This reminds me--has anyone had negative experiences with a doctor? One of the doctors which I had who I adored--some teenage girls I knew had a terrible time trying to get BC prescriptions from her. "My son is going to Emory Medical School," she told a few people, "and he wouldn't want to marry a girl who had slept with half the football team." The first time I heard that, I didn't believe it---but enough people said it, so it had to be true. I liked her, however, and she seemed to be okay with me.

For my first gyn visit, I went to my mom's gyn, who is a man. He was ok, but when I went off to school I found a woman who I loved. Now that I live in Atlanta, I have another woman gyn who is fantastic! I think I would be less forthcoming with a man than I would with a woman.

I used to have a male GYN. He was my mother's before me and delivered me. He made me very comfortable but he retired a few years back. I had a woman gyn but she was not personable. I tried to make small talk because I was nervous but all she would do is grunt. I don't have a male/female preference just would lole someone is knowlegable and makes me at ease.