Experience Of Finding An Obstetrician In Chiang Mai

[madcatlady]

Recently I’ve spent time checking out the alternatives for pre-natal care in Chiang Mai and have come up with varied results from the myriad of options available here.

I was advised by several not to choose McCormack Hospital because it was too dirty, and warned about Lanna Hospital’s steep prices. I read on TV that Mother & Baby Hospital was twenty years behind the times and insisted on stirrups and compulsory episiotomies.

It finally came down to two choices – Chiangmai Ram 1 and Sri Pat Building of Suan Dok Hospital. I made appointments at both with the intention of asking the right questions and getting a quotation. My visit to Chiangmai Ram was a resounding success – Dr Cathreeya was delightful and answered all of my questions with the answers I wanted to hear. I had a tour of the birthing suite and the private room where I would be staying after the birth.

My visit to Sri Pat was a different experience altogether. After an interminable wait we finally got to see Dr Wiroth (he’d been recommended to us as being extremely good and a professor at the university) and at first he seemed very pleasant and professional. After the initial greetings he consulted my notes and immediately asked me, “Why are you so fat? You are too fat for only 2 months! We must put you on a low-fat diet immediately.” I explained that I was my normal size – one that I’d been for many years. His response was that I must eat too many fatty foods. I explained that I was a vegetarian, that I drank alcohol only occasionally and that I went to the gym at least 4 times a week. He said that I must be doing something wrong, so I explained that everyone in my family was a similar size and that in my own country (UK) I was considered normal. “Well, we have to have a standard,” was his final response on the fat issue.

I was close to tears, and my husband looked like he was going to smack him, but I pressed on with the questions I wanted to ask regarding the delivery and facilities at the hospital. On the subject of episiotomies he was firmly for carrying out episiotomies on every patient. I questioned whether this was really necessary and he answered that in his experience it made everything quicker and easier. I suggested that it would be easier for him but not for the patient. He said that he was a very busy man! I soon discovered why all of his patients needed episiotomies – he insists that the birthing position must be lying on your back with feet in stirrups. I asked if the patient could sit up and was met with an emphatic no. He again reiterated that it was easier to deliver the baby that way. I told him that I thought that it was easier to control the patient that way! We left shortly afterwards. My husband’s final word on the matter was, “That man will never get his hands on you if I have anything to do with it!”

I just wanted to let people know of my experience – I’m sure that Dr Wiroth is a very capable obstetrician but he will never be my obstetrician! In the end I chose Dr Cathreeya at Ram and she’s been fantastic. She also confirmed that I'm not too fat!!!

MCL

[November Rain]

What a distressing experience in what should be a happy time. I have no experience of obstetricians, here or anywhere, for that matter, but, as a generalised view, I've found many doctors & medical staff here to be very behind the times in their attitudes & manner towards the patient.

I was a nurse in UK & I've found with my both Mum & my BF being hospitalised, you have to force information out of many of them & Lord help you if you want to do something another way...

When my BF was alive, I saw his manner towards doctors; completely in awe. Whereas I question everything. Perhaps many doctors here are used to being treated like God by their patients and have started to believe their own hype?

Very glad you found someone you trust. Good luck with the remainder of your pregnancy & the birth. I hope everything goes wonderfully.

[madcatlady]

Thanks for your sympathetic response. Sadly, I had a miscarriage at 10 weeks last month - Dr Cathreeya said the foetus had genetic abnormalities and no heartbeat - and subsequently had to get a D&C at Chiangmai Ram. All of the staff there were fantastic and I wouldn't hesitate to go back there when I find myself pregnant again.

My husband is Thai and usually is very reverant towards doctors but he was so upset by the doc's attitude that he swore we'd never go there again!

MCL

[November Rain]

Oh, I'm so sorry. That must have been devastating.

[Nienke]

I'm so sorry MCL, for you and your husband. What a horrible experience.

Nienke

[sbk]

Thank goodness you had a sympathetic obstetrician. I shudder to think of what callous attitude the other dr would have taken at such a sad time.

[madcatlady]

It was pretty terrible for a few days afterwards but I'm okay now. DR Cathreeya assured us that it's quite common for a first pregnancy and that there's no reason why we can't go on to conceive a perfectly healthy child next time, even at 37 years old. I'm spending the next three months eating right, exercising regularly and making sure that I'm in really good health in preparation for trying again.

My Thai family were great - just said, "Mai pen rai, ao mai!" (Doesn't matter - get a new one!) My Western friends traded miscarriage stories with me and my Thai friends - every single one without fail - asked me what I had done wrong. It made me really *£$%ing mad at first but then I just reasoned that it's just their way. I was also given a whole load of Thai homespun advice - don't ride your motorbike, don't carry heavy things, don't reach up onto high shelves etc. - some of which I'll consider for next time!

Thanks everyone for your lovely messages.

MCL

[mekka]

Hi Madcatlady, im very sorry to hear of your loss and i hope your doing ok now.

My fiancee has fallen pregnant and chances are we will be moving to Chiang Mai in abut 2 months and we have never been before so we will be looking for a Dr etc and it seems youve done some of the hard work for us which will definatly make things alot easier for us when we arrive, i definatly will not be visiting the terrible Dr u spoke of!! As for Dr Cathreeya she sounds just great so i think i will pay her a visit, if you dont mind could you give me a indication of the costs involved with this option as far as the birth goes and the care up ujntil the birth? Did Dr Cathreeya give any info as far as that goes? Any information would be very helpful and im sorry again for your loss.

Thanks in advance J