5 Questions to Ask Your OB/GYN

What is The Grapevine? A weekly newsletter that shares clinician-approved fertility insights in an easy-to-understand way.

Today’s topic is the conversations to have with your OB/GYN. Do you make a mental list of questions to discuss with your OB/GYN and then your mind goes blank as soon as you hop on the table? The average appointment lasts only 15 minutes, so preparing the topics you want to cover in advance is critical. Let’s dive into the most commonly asked questions and some topics you may not have thought to ask. 

First of all… which topics are fair game to ask an OB/GYN? Your OB/GYN may be a doctor, nurse practitioner, or a physician’s assistant – and they have a LOT of knowledge about your reproductive health. They know everything from sexually transmitted diseases and hormone regulation to pregnancy risk factors and postpartum tips and tricks. Take advantage of the human encyclopedia at your fingertips.

Which everyday habits are important for my fertility goals? Whether you don’t want kids for years or plan to start trying in the next few months, our habits, big and small, influence our health. Exercise, nutritional habits, stress levels and coping mechanisms, sexual activity, smoking and alcohol intake, among other factors, can impact our fertility.  For example, stress levels can influence our fertility by fluctuating our hormone levels, such as elevated cortisol and decreased thyroid stimulating hormone. Improving these habits before getting pregnant can help mitigate any health issues later on. Ask your OB/GYN which routines make sense for you given your health profile and fertility goals.

Is my birth control right for me? Choosing a birth control can feel like choosing a hairstyle: you crowd-source advice from friends and make the final call based on what makes you feel the most like you! But just like you grew out of those blunt bangs and pigtails, the same birth control may no longer meet your needs or make you feel like the healthiest version of yourself over time. According to a 2021 Kaiser Family Foundation survey, “women use 3.4 different contraceptive methods throughout their lifetime.” Maybe you keep forgetting your morning birth control pill while traveling for work or your period seems excessively heavy with your IUD. Depending on your health factors, some side effects may not only be annoying or inconvenient, but also may be unsafe. Discussing your contraception needs, health risks, sexual activity, fertility goals, and lifestyle can help your provider help YOU make the best decision.

Am I at any elevated risk? Did you know that when your grandmother got pregnant with your biological mom, your DNA was also impacted by your grandmother’s health and exposures? This is because the egg that would become you formed inside your mom’s ovaries while she was growing in your grandmother’s womb (🤯). Talking to your doctor about your family health history can be as important as sharing your own medical conditions. For example, if you know your mom struggled with her fertility, it might be worth exploring why.

Let’s talk about sex, baby. Have we asked our OB/GYNs for sex performance tips before… who’s to say. But seriously, our OB/GYNs know the ins and outs of it all, and we love it that way! Many women feel like they can only discuss highly serious topics with their OB/GYN, but this isn’t true. Your provider is a safe haven to share all the juicy details because they can help you adjust any practices to have safer and more pleasurable sex!

What about STIs? Ah, sexually transmitted infections and diseases… the less fun part of sex. STIs are extremely common in the U.S. The CDC estimated that one in five people in the U.S. had an STI in 2018, with the most common being HPV and HSV. We’ll dive deeper into these STIs in an upcoming edition, but for now we’ll say: some STIs left untreated can increase your risk for cancer, so it’s super important to share honestly with your OB/GYN so they can help you test early and explain your treatment options as needed. We share a few of our favorite at-home STD test kits at the bottom of this article under Editors’ Picks.

What do I do if I get pregnant? One of the most common questions women ask after a positive pregnancy test is, “Now what?!” If you are sexually active or are trying to conceive, it might be worth a conversation with your provider about next steps if you discover you are pregnant. Having set expectations beforehand could help ease any anxiety or uncertainty about what to do if you ever see those double pink lines.

So what’s the TL:DR? Your OB/GYN provider is a wealth of knowledge and is a go-to person to provide education and resources for your reproductive health and fertility. Build that relationship now and ask all the questions (trust us, they love them!) so that you can feel in the driver seat of your health. Talk about your habits, your sexual activity, birth control options, and dive into any risks that may impact your fertility or health in the future. They’ve seen everything already, after all!

Editor’s Picks: If you want to test for STDs from home, we recommend one of the two options below for their comprehensive test range, quality-to-price value, and fast results.

• Best Overall Pick — Everlywell 6-Panel STD Test: This test kit screens for six different STIs and HIV using two types of samples collected from the comfort of your home. The test measures Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis C (HCV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Syphilis, and Trichomoniasis. ($169)

• Best Pick for Fastest Results — Let’sGetChecked 5-Panel STD Test: This test screens for five different STIs and HIV using two types of samples collected from the comfort of your home. The test measures Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Syphilis and Trichomoniasis. ($149)

Upcoming Newsletter Editions:

• “How Fertility Testing Work”

• “Egg Freezing 101”

• “Male Infertility”

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*The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or any other qualified healthcare provider with questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.