According to this article, the five mistakes women make are:
1. Women don’t question doctors
I think a lot of this is determined by the doctor. Some doctors get angry when they are questioned. I take the opposite approach. My staff and I welcome questions, actively solicit patients for any questions and do not take offense if a patient wishes to go elsewhere for a second opinion. More than half the time, after seeking a second opinion, patients come back to us, confident and ready to proceed with our treatment plan.
2. Women tend to over-research
Ha ha. In the field of infertility, I would definitely agree with this. Despite a lot of misinformation out there on the net, I’m open-minded enough to look at the printouts patients bring me, knowing that it’s always possible that they could teach me something.
3. Women don’t recognize gender bias
This is not an issue with RE’s and OB’s because ALL our patients are women. This applies to women who go to doctors who see both men and women and who might not recognize the potential medical differences between their male and female patients.
4. Women interpret their own symptoms
Very true, but so do men. I know I do.
5. The mother of all mistakes: Women don’t trust their intuition
I disagree. Some do. Some don’t.
I disagree that RE’s and OB’s can’t have gender bias. I’ve definitely experienced hostility from a perinatologist who seemed pretty misogynistic to me. If a doctor specializes in women’s issues but still believes that women can’t or shouldn’t trouble their pretty heads with understanding what’s going on with their own bodies, that’s still gender bias.