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Downtown Women

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Downtown Women

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Reviews (159)

  • Downtown Women

    I was a gyn patient first at downtown women. I just delivered my first child at 42 in August with them. I loved the practice and all the doctors. Some of the founders don’t see patients anymore but there is a small group who rotates. I saw them all during the course of my pregnancy and really liked everyone. I delivered with Dr. Whitehead who is a rockstar. I can’t speak to trans healthcare but I’m bi and my partner is a lesbian. She also goes to downtown women. She had a surgical procedure with them and also is a big fan. I’ve felt they are supportive and competent in treating queer cis-women. If it’s important to you, they do have a queer doctor who you might be able to request for gyn (OB patients rotate).

  • Downtown Women

    Suzanne LaJoie at Downtown Women has been my gyn, and later my OB, for decades. I'm 56 and I've been going to Downtown Women since I was in my teens. (I saw a different doctor when I started. I think Dr. LaJoie may have been in high school then.) They are a fantastic, caring, warm, expert, efficient practice. They are great listeners, they are respectful and, best for me, they are no-nonsense. They are constrained by the realities of managed care (at least with my insurance plan), but I never feel rushed in my appointments, and any and every question and concern I have is always thoughtfully and patiently addressed. They're not judgmental, while at the same time they've been clear and constructive in their discouragement of various activities or health practices I've inquired about. If Dr. LaJoie is taking new patients (I don't know the answer to that) I recommend strongly that you consider making her your provider. If Dr. LaJoie is not available then I recommend that you consider another physician or practitioner there. Over the years I've been treated by many of them, and they've been uniformly great. It's a terrific, well-run practice.

  • Re: Gyn reco - specialized knowledge

    Downtown Women’s in lower Manhattan, I can highly recommend.

  • ISO recommendations of OB or doctor specialized in peri menopause/ menopause- ( hormonal change) in

    I go to Suzanna Markstein at Downtown Women and she is fantastic! She is really knowledgeable and helped me decide on the best course of action as I entered this new phase of life and it has changed the quality of my life considerably. She has been excellent at answering questions and concerns I have outside of appointments as well. I highly recommend her.

  • Review from the Spring 2023 Birthing Survey

    What month and year was your child born? December 2022 Review: I liked that the staff was entirely female and that they had multiple doctors at their practice. Every appointment, I would meet a new doctor, so when it was time to give birth nobody would be a stranger.

  • Review from the Spring 2023 Birthing Survey

    What month and year was your child born? 7/2022 Review: Excellent!

  • Review from the Spring 2023 Birthing Survey

    What month and year was your child born? February 2023 Review: There were many doctors at this practice and I felt as though I never really built a relationship with any over time. Ironically, while there seemed to be too many, none were available to be there when I needed them in labor. I unfortunately had a difficult experience with this practice.

  • Review from the Spring 2023 Birthing Survey

    What month and year was your child born? April 2023 Review: I had a mostly positive experience with DTW, there are about 7 doctors in the practice and you regularly rotate through them vs. seeing the same doctor throughout your pregnancy. Even though you go so much over the course of 9 months, I never saw any one doctor more than twice. My pregnancy was very routine and not complicated, so for about 90% of my pregnancy, this worked great. Each provider was very kind, patient, answered all my questions, and had a really supportive energy about them. However toward the end of my third trimester when we had to make more serious decisions about my care and method of delivery, I really felt I was missing that continuity with one provider who knew me, my situation, and my preferences. They offer the NYU birth preferences sheet at your first visit, but we never reviewed mine (especially when we decided to go with a planned C-section). Scheduling was also pretty challenging here--hard to get appointments, the office regularly ran very far behind (I sometimes wasn't seen for 45 min past my appointment time) and they are sometimes impossible to get on the phone for scheduling changes. In the end, I really did love some of the doctors I saw, if anything I just wish I got to see more of them! If having a really one-on-one connection with your provider is important to you, DTW may not be the best place. But overall, you will get a high standard of care.

  • Review from the Spring 2023 Birthing Survey

    What month and year was your child born? February 2023 Review: I was really happy with Downtown Women's OBGYN. Finding an all-female practice affiliated with NYU Tisch was important to me. Very well run office, and all of the doctors were great. Like many OB practices, you cycle through all of the doctors during your prenatal visits. I loved all but one, and even she was fine (and I only saw her once or twice). I felt like I was in really good hands through labor and delivery with Dr. Bahora - including a scary moment when my baby's heart rate dropped and through an emergency c-section - and in recovery with Dr. Whitehead. For my postpartum visit Dr Lui caught an issue and referred me to a specialist, and personally called them to make sure I could be seen ASAP.

  • Review from the Spring 2023 Birthing Survey

    What month and year was your child born? August Review: Downtown women was ok, they were easy to get to and the majority of the doctors were patient and informative. I did feel a little pressure to induce by a certain date (thankfully it wasn't necessary) and at the office Dr Lui in particular was always a bit short and felt rushed but she was wonderful at the hospital. I felt like I was in very capable hands.

  • Review from the Spring 2023 Birthing Survey

    What month and year was your child born? October Review: I liked working w downtown womens throughout my pregnancy, was able to schedule appointments easily and they worked well with my doula. I often went to ob appts got some choices and then worked through decisions w my doula rather than w the ob. Without a doula I think some decisions would have been suboptimal that the obs would have recommended (such as early induction for big baby).

  • Review from the Spring 2023 Birthing Survey

    What month and year was your child born? December 2022 Review: I found care to be uneven at DTW. The doctors are all knowledgeable, but we had an umbilical cord issue and--in retrospect--might have had a better experience with a MFM doctor used to explaining these things to patients. The exams felt extremely rushed, and I ended up having to resort to Dr. Google quite a bit, just so I would be able to ask the right questions. My doctor was great during the actual pushing part of delivery, but disappeared for 6+ hours in the lead up, which I also had to flag for the practice as an issue. They were very receptive to the feedback and apologetic.

  • Review from the Spring 2023 Birthing Survey

    What month and year was your child born? November 2022 Review: Incredible group practice, all women doctors (mostly women of color), you see a different doctor at each appointment in order to get to know them all before delivery. Medically, they are extremely thorough and accessible through their online messaging portal. The team usually responds within hours to any questions sent. Each doctor has a different bedside manner, a couple feel a little transactional (direct, to the point communicators), but this didn't bother me. All of them always spent as much time with me as I needed answering questions, etc. It's also a busy practice, so appointment scheduling can be hard if you're trying to work around work meetings, etc., especially toward the end of pregnancy when you're there seemingly all the time. That said, if something comes up and you need an appt urgently, they are super accommodating and fit you in (I fell during pregnancy and they let me come in immediately for an ultrasound). My delivery was early and an unplanned C-section (baby was breech), which was not at all my preference - but the experience was positive, and I felt like I was in extremely good medical hands. While in the hospital, the doctor on-call popped in to check on me every day, which the nurses confirmed is not the case for every OB practice that delivers there. One caveat: post-delivery I had a couple follow-up appointments, but they are not as hands-on in identifying and helping to treat post-partum depression as one might hope. I luckily had a therapist helping me through it. All in all, though, a great practice which I would/will use again for another pregnancy. They took great care of me and my baby to ensure we were both healthy and safe.

  • Unmedicated birth experience at NYU Langone Tisch

    I used Downtown Women as my OB practice and all the doctors were supportive of my birth plan and my choice to have a doula. Dr Whitehead wound up being the one on call when I went into labor and was especially supportive of a low intervention birth.

  • OB Practice Delivering at NYU?

    Downtown Women has an excellent practice, and they deliver at NYU! I had a very good experience with them throughout.

  • Review from the Summer 2022 Birthing Survey

    What month and year was your child born? May 2022 Review: I was very happy with Downtown Women for my OB/GYN experience. My two favorite doctors are Dr. Whitehead and Dr. Slatky. Dr. Slatky delivered my baby. I was considered "high risk" due to age, but I found the practitioners at Downtown Women to be very up on current practices, non-alarmist, and generally warm and willing to answer any questions or concerns I had. I especially appreciated that the wait to see the doctor was often minimal and they respected my time. When it came to delivering, Dr. Slatky was really great. She checked in often enough, but generally left me to progress on my own, and supported and even suggested alternative positions to try and turn my now sunny side up baby when they rotated during labor. She was calm even after five hours of labor and very communicative about why and what she wanted to do, as well as very encouraging. She encouraged me to touch my baby's head once it was low enough, and when it became very apparent that a vacuum assist was needed, she explained how it would all work, answered my questions and assured me she would only perform an episiotomy if the baby was in grave danger and needed to come out ASAP. I discussed with her my preference to not have an episiotomy unless it was an emergency. That conversation became important when the assisting hospital doctor wanted to perform an episiotomy and she stopped him. My follow up appointment after birth was with Dr. Whitehead, and she was caring and gentle and really spoke with me about my experience, how I was feeling and wanted to ensure I got appropriate aftercare to get back to myself.

  • Review from the Summer 2022 Birthing Survey

    What month and year was your child born? June 2022 Review: Love them! You rotate through doctors and some take more time with you than others but all of them are caring, straightforward, and wil make sure you are taken care of.

  • Review from the Summer 2022 Birthing Survey

    What month and year was your child born? March 2022 Review: Downtown Women has a rotation of seven OBs. I made sure to schedule appointments with each of them so I would know the doctor on call for my delivery. Some were better communicators than others. Dr. Whitehead was particularly good at proactively explaining things but with some of the other doctors, it helps to go in with a list of questions. That said, I found all of them to be reliable and caring. The practice is affiliated with NYU Langone, which I highly recommend. The practice is efficient and appointments are generally on time and brief. The nurses were also helpful when I needed paperwork completed for my maternity leave.

  • OB/hospital recs

    I really wish I had left Downtown Women earlier. Some of their doctors are better than others but you don't know who you'll get for the delivery and I never felt like they were particularly invested in what I wanted.

  • Recommendations for OB/GYN affiliated with NYU

    Downtown Women in SoHo affiliates with/delivers at NYU and takes a lot of insurances. I’ve been happy there so far. They are right off the Broadway Lafayette stop on Broadway so about 20 minutes by train from park slope.

  • Review from the Spring 2022 Birthing Survey

    I liked all of the doctors at the practice and felt they were especially caring in person at the hospital when I had complications after birth as well as on the phone when I called with concerns. Appointments sometimes felt brief, but I always had all of my questions answered; office communication was easy and rarely had to wait. Were supportive of choices and work with doula, although they had a hard line about inducing at 41 weeks (I'm 35)--luckily I didn't end up going that late.

  • Review from the Spring 2022 Birthing Survey

    Good experience but thinking of moving to a Brooklyn option for baby 2. Pushed for induction at 40 weeks.

  • Review from the Spring 2022 Birthing Survey

    Downtown women is incredibly efficient. It is a rotating practice and I met different doctors on different visits and liked almost all of them. It is perfect for a second no complication pregnancy!

  • Review from the Spring 2022 Birthing Survey

    I recommend this practice. They have you meet with all the OBs so you’re familiar with whoever is on call when you go into labor. I actually had Dr. Min for both of my babies - both labor and delivery experiences went very well. All of the doctors are great and I would have been comfortable with any of them for delivery. They do refer you to NYU MFM for high risk issues like gestational diabetes, but overall I’ve been happy with this practice. For Covid, they reduced the number of appts but I still felt taken care of.

  • Review from the Spring 2022 Birthing Survey

    Overall I had a great experience with Downtown Women. As a first time mom I appreciated getting to know all seven OBs--obviously you will click more with some than others but I felt comfortable with all and their clinical judgment. Dr. Lajoie ended up delivering me and she was exceptional, calm and communicative and encouraging. Appointments are almost always on time and I never felt rushed. Only negative was an awful experience with someone in billing after my insurance changed but that seems par for the course at every doctor's office.

  • Review from the Spring 2022 Birthing Survey

    I could not love Downtown Women more. The care I received from each doctor was wonderful, both leading up to my delivery and throughout. I have also loved their after care including the perinatal therapy group their inhouse psychologist runs.

  • Review from the Spring 2022 Birthing Survey

    This is my second birth with them so I was comfortable with the practice. They had great covid protocols in place and all the doctors are great, did a great job answering my questions and delivered me at NYU.

  • Review from the Spring 2022 Birthing Survey

    Amazing! Connected with each doctor of the practice and would never go anywhere else.

  • NYU OBGYN rec?

    Downtown women takes my insurance and I really appreciate their efficiency and office no wait time and their office staff is really responsive on paperwork (doctors notes, parental leave stuff etc)

  • NYU OBGYN rec?

    I moved to Downtown Women. Appointments are always on time. This was my third pregnancy and I went through an intense depression and a lot of anxiety. Even though they want you to cycle through the practice, I asked that I only see Dr Bahora. Once I was feeling better towards the end of my pregnancy I cycled through the practice. They have a therapist and I’ve been in group therapy since October. It’s awesome. Dr LaJoie delivered me and she was amazing. Every doctor at downtown women seemed like someone I could get along with. They were all caring and concerned about my well-being. I thought it was a really well run practice.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    I had a very good experience with Downtown Women's. The pros: they have a set of great women doctors, lots of availability, mid-wives available, extensive experience. The cons: you don't build a dedicated relationship with one doctor, and at times things are "lost" as you talk to different doctors each time. You also may not be delivered by one of your "favorites."

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    I had excellent care at Downtown Women. COVID made the experience more difficult (what experience did not become more difficult in 2020?) but ultimately, I liked almost every doctor (except one) that I saw at DTW. I made sure to rotate so that I could have at least one interaction with each of them before my baby arrived. In the week leading up to giving birth, I had to advocate for myself pretty hard to avoid induction. It was the only moment that I was frustrated in the care I was getting, but it all turned out alright! On the day that I delivered, there were some minor complications and the doctors did an amazing job keeping me calm and bringing our boy into the world! I highly recommend DTW.

  • Ob/gyn at NYU-Langone

    Another vote for Downtown Women (and Dr. Whitehead in particular, though I liked all the doctors there). Downtown's model is to get you familiar with their entire roster of doctors throughout your pregnancy, since you don't know who will be on call when you go into labor. I used Downtown for my second kid at 44 years old and they were thoughtful in assessing my risk and talking me through the pros/cons of a VBAC or scheduled c-section, without pushing me in either direction. Downtown also has ultrasound equipment at their office - and their ultrasound tech is exceptionally good - so for the most part you don't have to visit the hospital or other facilities during your pregnancy, except for your 20-week ish scans which will be done at the NYU imaging facility in midtown.

  • Ob/gyn at NYU-Langone

    The Downtown Women's practice is a solid team. Dr. Whitehead is amazing.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    Some doctors I didn't love, but most I did and I loved all the midwives and reception. Overall very responsive and helpful and I felt like they really know what they are doing.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    We took a birthing class through Downtown Women OBGYN Associates and I enjoyed it. They provided us with easily digestible information, at a flexible weekend schedule. They allowed for lots of time for questions and it was an open and welcoming environment. I felt informed and prepared when I went into labor.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    I had a mixed experience at Downtown woman. Because of the pandemic, the first 6 months of my pregnancy were virtual visits. I felt rushed and while I was trying to rotate through the different doctors, I didn’t feel like anyone really was following up with my pregnancy. During the pregnancy information was given to me in a way that felt out of context and sometimes made me panic a bit. I ended up having to plan a C section and Dr Lajoie was the most excellent and caring and emphatetic doctor. She also did an amazing job and my scar healed immediately. Her and Dr Whitehead are truly knowledgeable, compassionate and dedicated doctors. I also really liked their midwife Sasha. But some of the other doctors felt too young and sometimes dismissive. As mentioned some of the cities are really excellent but you don’t know who will deliver your baby and next time I would prefer a more personalized experience.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    If you want an unmedicated birth- this provider is not for you. They are a good option otherwise but if you want minimal intervention these are not your people.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    Overall I was very happy with them and think they handled Covid disruptions well. I had fewer appointments than normal because of Covid and so met most doctors only once. I liked some more than others (Doctors Whitehead, Mechlovitz, and Min were my favorites), but liked them all enough that I was confident heading in to labor. Dr. Min delivered the baby and I thought she was great.

  • OB who can work closely with psychiatrist

    I was at DW for both pregnancies - i went off meds for my first and stayed on for my second. While DW didn't interact w/my psychiatric nurse, i f.lt supported in my decisions and felt it was easy to discuss w/the team at DW. I found that my work with my psychiatric nurse was sufficient. I hear you saying you want that one-on-one b/n your psychiatrist and OB - i agree that this would be hard w/DW. If you feel this is necessary for you i would switch to another OB. fwiw, things went well both the first and second time around w/DW - and I think delivering at NYU is really great - if i had it to do a third time (which i won't :)) i'd go back to NYU over any alternative.

  • OB who can work closely with psychiatrist

    I had my first with Downtown Women and had a difficult and stressful pregnancy. I loved all the doctors but didn't love the lack of consistency and having to go through my "story" every time. When I got pregnant with my 2nd I was in SF and went to a similar practice but chose to not rotate and take a gamble that the OBs who I met wouldn 't be the OB who delivered me. Even more so with your second, your OB will not be around much for your labor. It's the nurses, residents and midwives. Not sure how Downtown feels about only seeing one provider but worth asking. My favorites are Dr. Whitehead and Dr. Lui.

  • OB who can work closely with psychiatrist

    I went to downtown womens. Because of my work schedule I mostly had morning appointments and saw the same OB most times during my pregnancy. My recollection is that you don’t *have to* rotate between doctors there if you don’t feel the need. I viewed it as an offering for nervous first time moms who want to meet each doctor personally. As a second time mom (at downtown women’s for the first time) I didn’t really care to meet all of them and just scheduled as I saw fit. Good luck!

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    I like that you see multiple doctors and will know the person who helps you deliver the baby, and you get a chance to be sure you’re getting good advice in that you’re not stuck with one doctor.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    Highly recommend them. Initially, pre-covid, I was not a huge fan because they make you see a different doctor every time (They have a lot of doctors!) and was not feeling that personal connection. However, during COVID, they made sure that every patient's concerns were answered and hosted many zoom sessions with doctors who will answer any questions, and to create a sense of community. Once you get to speak to each doctor, they are all wonderful and are very experienced.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    BIRTHING CLASSES: The class was great! The nurse who taught it has been an L&D nurse for 20 years, had seen it all, and was very reassuring. She was very patient and answered all our questions, and gave a really detailed idea of what to expect.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    Excellent prenatal care rotating through all the OBs. I had Christine Messenger for delivery and she was good, though somewhat rigid about birthing approach in the moment.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    Very disappointed with my experience with them. First, it felt like a pregnancy factory - there are a number of different OBs, and they push you to take appointments with all of them so you actually get to know none of them. Several of their OBs are literally just out of residency. With the exception of Dr. Whitehead (who is amazing), my appointments felt extremely rushed. I would get weighed, BP checked, baby's heartbeat checked and I was practically pushed out the door.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    The class was great! The nurse who taught it has been an L&D nurse for 20 years, had seen it all, and was very reassuring. She was very patient and answered all our questions, and gave a really detailed idea of what to expect.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    Dr. Bahora was great! Downtown women's does a rotating appointment schedule so you meet all the OBs while you're pregnant. Dr. Bahora was on call the night I went into labor and she was very kind and soothing on the phone (I went into labor a month early) and really great in the delivery room. As a first-time mom I felt very supported.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    I found Downtown Women to be terrific throughout

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    Loved the practice. Dr. Min delivered my baby but you rotate through all of them and I would’ve been comfortable with any of them for my delivery. Highly recommended.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    I appreciated the Downtown Women's approach of cycling through all physicians in the practice throughout my pregnancy. I liked getting to speak with different doctors and getting different opinions to repeated questions, while the whole practice aligned with my non-alarmist approach to care. It's a busy practice and, especially once Covid took hold, that could result in some slightly rushed visits. But I appreciated the care with which the practice handled Covid precautions and safety. Dr. Whitehead performed my c-section and I really couldn't have asked for a better bedside manner. She also oozed competence and confidence, without even a whiff of arrogance, which was immensely helpful in approaching a stressful surgery! She did such a wonderful job distracting me by chatting about our shared connections to Michigan while the anesthesiologist put in my epidural that I didn't realize what she was doing until about halfway through.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    Love Downtown Womens. Each doctor was amazing and I always felt like I was in the best hands.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    I've been with this practice for years and had an excellent experience with the OB team. The team of doctors is large, so you see each doctor at least once over the course of your OB visits. The team of doctors is diverse in their medical approaches, but I felt like I was in good hands the entire time. The office space is very nice, and they took careful health and safety precautions as the pandemic became more severe. I'd highly recommend this group.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    Downtown Women is an OBGYN practice with multiple providers. Throughout your pregnancy, you see these providers on a rotating basis, the idea being that you will at least be familiar with whoever is on call to deliver your baby when the time comes. I had a range of experiences with the providers - some I loved and others I thought were just fine - but overall I felt the prenatal care I received was sufficient. However, when it came time to labor and deliver, Downtown Women really disappointed me. Communication from the provider on call was dismal and I felt forced into an induction that I didn't understand nor do I think was actually necessary (I've consulted other OB friends since who state they would have handled the situation differently). When called out on this, the provider was defensive and patronizing. Not sharing with me all the information about my own health was extremely disrespectful, and I went into my birth experience with a tremendous amount of unnecessary fear and confusion. I will say that ultimately I ended up with a healthy baby boy and for that I thank Downtown Women, but I would not recommend them to others.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    Excellent progressive OB’s that are open to following your birth plan if there aren’t health risks. It’s hard to get thru by phone sometimes but if you make new appointments in the office, it’s fine.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    I confess to a prior bias against Dr. Min because she had diagnosed a miscarriage for me two years earlier, and I wasn't thrilled she came up as my attending (of the nine docs from Downtown Women who could have covered me). She tried to get me to take pitocin -- I passed, on the advice of my doula -- and then the belt on my stomach was misplaced (by her or the nurse), which meant my contractions weren't monitored adequately. As a result of this, my final labor seemed very sudden to everyone involved, even though I had been in severe pain for some time. She was not particularly warm and encouraging, but her admonitions (scream less, push harder) eventually got the job done and the baby out.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    It's a great practice with many female ob's/gyn's/and midwives to choose from. I haven't liked all of them, but I'm sure that's the case at most practices. They're pretty relaxed for the most part, so you may have to be persistent and trust your instincts if you think there's something that needs to be looked at further.

  • Review from the 2020 Birthing Experience Survey

    They're great. I liked some of the doctors more than others, but in general they are friendly, open and competent.

  • OB recommendation

    I also had two great experiences with downtown women. I had a scheduled cesarean with dr Whitehead and a VBAC with dr Slatky. I would have felt comfortable with any of the doctors in the practice and loved my experience at NYU.

  • OB recommendation

    I also had a good experience with Downtown Women! I feel like it's the luck of the draw anywhere with who will be on call when you end up delivering, and at least with a place like Downtown Women you've had appointments with all the OBs beforehand. Obviously they have a ton of patients, and some of my prenatal appointments felt a bit rushed/brusque, but I had a good experience overall and especially with birth at NYU. (Dr. Mechlovitz delivered my baby.)

  • OB recommendation

    I also used Downtown Women! I really liked that they made a point of rotating you through the practice at every appointment so you knew most/all the doctors by the time you were ready to have the baby. In fact, it made me feel better to not have the pressure of "my" doctor being there since that could have been panic inducing if she wasn't available for some unforeseen reason when the time came. My regular doctor is Dr. Whitehead but Dr. Min delivered my baby - I'm not sure if it was the luck of the schedule or they do this on purpose but Dr. Whitehead ended up coming in the next day to check on me in recovery. Overall between the practice and NYU it was a great experience!

  • OB recommendation

    I used Downtown Women, too. I met all the OBs before I delivered at the various appointments so I'd met the one who was on call beforehand. I also really liked delivering at NYU. Excellent nurses.

  • OB recommendation

    I really liked Downtown Women. They also rotate during regular appts, so you’re familiar with whoever is on call. I also liked knowing that there was someone from the practice on call at the hospital at all times. They deliver at NYU, which was great. I got my epidural within 15 min of asking for one.

  • HELLLOOOO??? Welcome May 2020 Families!

    I've been a long-time gyn patient at Downtown Women's in Soho and am sticking with them for OB care. I actually like rotating through the doctors and have found them all to be reassuringly capable and non-alarmist. It means I'll deliver at NYU, which is certainly not the most convenient, but does get high marks for birth outcomes. I'm (so far) pretty content to trust my doctors' orders rather than feeling super committed to a particular birth plan. (December 2019)

  • HELLLOOOO??? Welcome May 2020 Families!

    I’m also at Downtown Women and delivered my 1st with them at NYU. It’s not the most personal as you rotate through the doctors but I found them all nice and more importantly experienced. I agree on NYU...overall good experience with great nurses but the shared postpartum rooms are TIGHT I was more than ready to get out of there after 2 nights. (December 2019)

  • VBAC dr. at NY Pres/Weill Cornell

    I had a vbac with Downtown Women, which I recommend highly. However, they deliver at NYU Langone, not NYP. But every provider I met with at Downtown Women (they have you meet with all the OBs) was supportive of plans for a vbac, and I delivered with Dr. Whitehead, who is amazing.

  • Ob/GYN recommendation

    Downtown women delivered my first and I can’t recommend them. Happy to discuss further offline.

  • Ob/GYN recommendation

    I'm with Downtown Women's. EDD early February. I was already seeing Dr. Mechlovitz prior to my pregnancy but had only met her twice and I haven't seen her since I got pregnant - but that will change next week. Yay! I have not met (nor had I heard of) Dr. Whitehead yet. Overall I agree with the Pros and Cons mentioned by another on this thread. Pro: the practice is very organized - appointments are kept on time and reminders get sent regularly. Con: It's a very large practice (turnover is inevitable) Pro: They were very accommodating to my travel plans during early pregnancy (I was overseas for most of my first trimester - which to no fault of theirs means I'm still forming my opinion of the practice) Con: I'm still meeting Drs and some are very young (ie green). Pro: They have a great relationship with NYU maternal-fetal care (I'm 42 so it matters) Con: I see the folks at NYU more frequently than my actual OBs. Pro: Office Location - right by Prince & B-Way Con: Hospital Location - on 1st ave at 32nd St - and yes you might have some appointments there before delivery! I was just there yesterday. Pro: They have midwives and a counselor on staff! Con: The midwives don't do deliveries. And the counselor does not take insurance. btw: Dr. La Joie is great! I met her on my initial prenatal visit and wish she were my primary.

  • Ob/GYN recommendation

    My baby was delivered by Dr Whitehead at Downtown Women and she was absolutely wonderful. I still go to the practice for gynecological checkups. I would say that their e-booking system just plain doesn't work so phone for appointments. Whenever I was concerned about pregnancy issues they got me appointments that same day. This was 6 years ago.

  • Ob/GYN recommendation

    I’m a big fan of downtown women, too. Dr mechlovitz delivered my baby last year and she was really awesome. Dr whitehead is wonderful. I liked almost all the doctors (5/6!) though it seems like they’ve changed a little bit. I liked the office staff, too. Much better than the other ob-gyn I tried (which was on the ues.)

  • Ob/GYN recommendation

    I had my first with Downtown Women (delivered via planned c-section with Dr. Whitehead, who was AWESOME), and loved them so much I've stayed with the practice and am enjoying things just as much now with my second pregnancy. They've had some staffing changes over the last year, but nothing that's alarmed me (one doctor is out on parental leave I think, one midwife retired, one doctor seems to have gone to a more academic research position rather than patient-facing one, etc). And I REALLY like the new doctors I've met so far. There have been one or two minor hiccups this time around, but nothing alarming and everyone was extremely apologetic and resolved the issue very quickly when we flagged it. I find the practice to be extremely responsive. Anytime I email or call with a question I get a response within a day, usually less, and for concerning things (either I was concerned or they were), they've found a way to get me into the office that day. This time around, they even managed to squeeze me in the Friday before a holiday weekend. I recommend them highly and am happy to talk to you more about your concerns with the practice.

  • Ob/GYN recommendation

    I am seeing Dr. Whitehead at Downtown Women. I was also unhappy with my OB/Gyn when I started trying to get pregnant, and a friend of mine highly recommended Dr. Whitehead (who she had been seeing for annual appointments and infertility). I haven’t delivered yet, but the pros and cons in my opinion: Pros: I do like Dr. Whitehead very much, as well as most other doctors/midwives I’ve met. They are always on time, which my husband and I appreciate. I haven’t had trouble getting appointments, whether a month out, week out or day of (emergency) - it’s a big practice. They deliver at NYU Langone, which I’ve only heard good things about. They have birth ed classes, other support groups and resources, love doulas. Cons: I am STILL meeting doctors at 38 weeks. There is a chance a stranger will show up at delivery! Some of them are very young. Although they do have midwives on staff, they apparently do not have admitting privileges at NYU, which is too bad. Twice the front office staff has messed up my appointment times and weren’t so accommodating - I think that is probably where the negative reviews probably come from. All in all I’ve been happy with the practice.

  • Anyone deliver at NYU & can recommend a great OB?

    I also delivered at NYU with downtown women’s and have Aetna. I was very happy with the practice, with my favorite doctor being Dr. Whitehead. Dr. Lajoie delivered my son and she was great as well. I also really liked Dr. Min when I saw her!

  • Anyone deliver at NYU & can recommend a great OB?

    I also go to Downtown Women. I met all but one of the doctors during my pregnancy, and Dr. Whitehead was the one who actually delivered my baby. I was scheduled to meet her later that week but my daughter surprised us all and came early. I was honestly so out of it that I don’t remember much of my labor or her but do recall her being nice! At the end of my first trimester, I was considered “high-risk” due to an abnormal test result and they were nothing but thorough and made sure I was seen at Downtown Women and NYU for monthly ultrasounds and tests.

  • Anyone deliver at NYU & can recommend a great OB?

    Hi, I love Dr. Whitehead at Downtown Women. She is amazing. I had to meet each doctor while pregnant (I think a few doctors have left since I gave birth in January 2017), but I was able to do the rest of the appointments with Dr. Whitehead. The office is run really well. I never had to wait too long for an appointment. I usually got early morning appointments easily. Best of luck!

  • Anyone deliver at NYU & can recommend a great OB?

    I delivered 2 of my 3 babies with Downtown Women at NYU and had a great experience both times. (Including Dr. Lajoie coming *this close* to delivering the youngest one in a Lyft on the way to the hospital when I showed up for a regular appointment at 10cm dilated

  • Anyone deliver at NYU & can recommend a great OB?

    I really like Downtown Women who deliver at NYU. I have Aetna too so they definitely take it. My OB was Dr. Suzanne LaJoie but I like all the doctors I’ve met there (they have you meet multiple doctors in case yours isn’t available when you go into labor).

  • 2019 Birth Survey

    Love them! Best ob in town. All the docs are wonderful.

  • 2019 Birth Survey

    I have been going to this practice for a long time. I moved away for a few years and I found it to be very busy and not very personal. I'm glad that this wasn't my second pregnancy because they ruined a lot of the excitement with alarmist treatment. Dr. Whitehead has the best bedside manner and she really cares for the patient. She was the only doctor that actually read my chart prior to coming into the room. Dr. Whitehead delivered my baby via c-section and everything went well. All and all my pregnancy and birthing experience was 100 times better in LA.

  • 2019 Birth Survey

    I loved all the providers here, including the nurses who answered all my questions via many, many phone calls.

  • 2019 Birth Survey

    Great bc as a doctor's group there is always someone available but then it becomes a bit too impersonal. I don't doubt the doctors' medical expertise but a few could use better bedside manners, and I definitely felt pressured into a having a c-section. I would have asked to see the only midwife in the group earlier had I known about her.

  • New OB recommendations

    I went to Downtown Women OBGYN and they were great. It is an all female group of doctors; you see all of them throughout your pregnancy.

  • 2018 Birth Survey

    I'm glad we took the class at our OB's office. It gave us a lot of insight into the hospital. I'm also happy we took a short class, instead of multiple sessions. I felt more prepared for what to do when I went into labor and what to expect, and helped me decide when I should get meds.

  • 2018 Birth Survey

    I unfortunately forgot the instructor’s name, but my OB-GYN’s office offered a 4 hour long class in which she told us how to ease pain, what were the early signs of labor, and what to expect at the hospital. It was a good intro as a first-time mom and dad. The instructor herself, was a nurse at the hospital we would be at so she had a wealth of knowledge.

  • 2018 Birth Survey

    Two doctors cared for me during the course of labor and eventual c-section delivery. Both were great, I felt that they were responsive to my experiences and balanced not being overly interventionist with also making sure that medical needs were met.

  • 2018 Birth Survey

    I was very pleased with my experience with Downtown Women. I was initially concerned that the practice might be too interventionist for my birth-center mindset. I ended up having to induce due to gestational diabetes, but was committed to as natural a birth as possible even so. The doctors at Downtown Women did everything in their power to make that happen. And even though I ended up with some additional (necessary) interventions, they worked with me to ensure that I was able to have as much of the birth experience that I wanted. During labor I went through 3 of the 6 doctors (44 hour labor) and all three were caring, thoughtful, and listened. In the end, I am so happy for the birth experience they provided.

  • 2018 Birth Survey

    All the doctors at this practice are amazing! During my prenatal visits I connected a lot with Dr. Whitehead and secretly hoped she'd be the one to deliver my baby, I was so happy with Dr. Mechlovitz!!! I don't think I could've gone through the experience or been able to push in time without needing a c-section had she not been so encouraging and sweet.

  • 2018 Birth Survey

    I really liked all of the doctors. Their system of rotating you through doctors is great too, so you knew the doctor who was on duty when you were in labor. My only complaint about the practice was the front desk staff could be a little short and disorganized.

  • 2018 Birth Survey

    This was my second baby with downtown women. had a great experience with them. You rotate through all the doctors (there are 6 or 7), so you don't necessarily have a strong relationship with the doctor that delivers you. But I felt very well cared for throughout my pregnancy and would work with downtown women again if I have a third baby.

  • 2018 Birth Survey

    When you’re newly pregnant, DTW can feel like a baby factory; they have you in and out super fast. However, as pregnancy progresses, the doctors start spending more time with you, making sure all your questions are answered and addressing any concerns you have. You’ll rotate through all the doctors there, and while I certainly developed favorites, they’re all great.

  • 2018 Review

    Downtown Women obgyn in soho deliver at NYU. I really liked everyone I saw there. My OB was Dr. LaJoie and I also saw (and loved) Emory Ship who is midwife at Downtown Women. I had a great experience at NYU and highly recommend it!

  • 2018 Review

    I would highly recommend any doctor from the Downtown Women's practice, especially Dr. Whitehead. They are knowledgable and beyond wonderful!

  • 2018 Review

    The docs and midwives at Downtown Women OBGYN deliver at NYU and are fantastic

  • 2018 Review

    I went to Downtown Women’s, which I really, really liked. I didn’t have a referral for a specific doctor so I was cycled through all the doctors throughout my pregnancy, not just at the end. Though I think that’s how it works for most people there. My favorites were Dr. Min, Dr. Whitehead and Dr. Collins. They also have midwives on staff that do office visits. I especially loved that aspect. They deliver at NYU, which was a really good experience for us. I have United/Oxford + Choice Strategies (an HRA), which covered everything except for a few hundred dollars. Downtown also has an adjacent gyno practice so I’m planning to use them for my next check up!

  • [Spring2016Babies] Need New OBGYN

    Am at Downtown Women for my current pregnancy (30 weeks along...) and also delivered [my child] (21 months) at NYU Langone with Downtown Women. Echoing everyone's comments on the OBs (because of complications, we saw 3 different OBs during our stay at Langone---all outstanding.) but also wanted to say that the midwives in the practice (Emory and Emily in particular) are also great. Emory identified and diagnosed my postpartum diastasis recti and pelvic floor issues at my 6 week postpartum visit for Sylvie and put me on a great path for recovery. I'm so grateful for their thoughtful practice. Happy to talk more about them if you want to connect one-on-one. One note: they seem to be pretty booked and it's worth reaching out ASAP to see if they are taking new patients

  • [Spring2016Babies] Need New OBGYN

    Love downtown women! Dr Min and Dr Taylor-Shih are amazing but to be honest all the Docs there are great. Good luck!

  • [Spring2016Babies] Need New OBGYN

    I also switched to Downtown OBGYN (post-pregnancy) and like them a lot. I see Dr Min for regular visits, but have met with other doctors there for last minute appointments and have been very satisfied with their care. Also, FYI, it's a very hip office - much more so then my old, staid midtown OB's office!

  • [Spring2016Babies] Need New OBGYN

    I’ve used Downtown OBGYN with two pregnancies (and GYN care before and after). I liked them both times but definitely more the second. They use NYU.

  • [Spring2016Babies] Need New OBGYN

    Downtown Women’s OBGYN is great. I went to them before I was pregnant but then switched to a home birth midwife. Hey are in SoHo. I don’t know about he hospital affiliation or insurance though.

  • [Fall2016babies] ISO OB or midwife recommendations

    I went to Downtown Women and delivered at NYU- I had a very good experience! At downtown women you meet with a bunch of different doctors, which I know isn’t what everyone wants, but I found them all to be really nice and helpful. I was comfortable knowing that whoever ended up on call when I had Oliver would be good.

  • Review submitted via the Park Slope Parents 2017 Birth Survey

    Loved using downtown women! I had certain doctors that I preferred from a bedside manner stand point - Drs. Mechlovitz and Whitehead are amazing - but ultimately I found all of them to be capable and trustworthy. Practice is very busy and sometimes difficult to get someone on the phone but they were excellent and accommodating throughout my pregnancy especially during a complicated first trimester. Based on a October 2017 birthing experience.

  • Review submitted via the Park Slope Parents 2017 Birth Survey

    Amazing - this is a practice with 7 OBs + 2 midwives. During the pregnancy, you have appointment with all the doctors there. On my birthing day, Dr. Whitehead was the rotating OB on duty, and she was AMAZING! Based on a September 2017 birthing experience.

  • Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

    Excellent. All of the doctors are fabulous. Based on a June 2017 birthing experience

  • Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

    Above average but not as great as with the first birth six years ago. This time the on-call doctor didn't feel confident she could execute my fairly complicated emergency C-section so a seasoned NYU staff surgeon was called to the OR to do it instead. That was a positive i.e. To admit that she (the younger, less experienced Downtown Women doctor) wasn't confident in my case was tough but appreciated. Still, this birth overall was more stressful. Based on a April 2017 birthing experience

  • Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

    Office visits can feel impersonal and vary based on who you see (6 doctors and two midwives in practice), but overall I was happy with my experience and love Dr. Whitehead who was on call when our baby was born. Based on a June 2017 birthing experience

  • Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

    My husband and I really liked, trusted and enjoyed 4 out of the 6 doctors at DW. One we simply never met before the hospital (who turned out to be the worst of them all! Very grumpy with no bedside manner) and one we found obnoxious. You never know which one is going to be on shift for your Labor and delivery and unfortunately the two we did not like were the ones on shift for me. When I was given petocin within one hour of arriving at the hospital and the reasons why were basically shouted at us when we asked and we felt belittled (were just trying to understand why I needed it so quickly and why other methods weren't being tried first). I also had an episiotomy at a time when I felt capable of still pushing and there was no tearing (as confirmed by the hospital PA and nurses). In the end, my baby was delivered happy and healthy and I healed incredibly well, even from the stitches (i.e. no scar tissue), however, I will strongly consider finding a new OB practice for my next pregnancy. Based on a May 2017 birthing experience

  • Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

    I can't say enough good thinkgs about downtown women. They are great. Lots of different doctors to find the one that best fits you. This can be challenging because you don't know who you will get. I liked the majority of them very much and the others were okay. Based on June 2016 birth experience

  • Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

    All the doctors in the practice are great - very nice, patient, willing to answer questions. I like that you get to meet with all of them throughout your pregnancy; that way no matter who delivers you, you've met with them at least once or twice before. I also met with some of the midwives who were very helpful and provided a useful other perspective. I had a schedule C-section because my baby was breach, and the doctors were very helpful in explaining my options beforehand. The procedure itself went well and I had an easy recovery. Based on October 2016 birth experience

  • Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

    overall great- i was very concerned after learning their induction policy. make sure you ask about it before you become a patient. not the most personal service but most of the providers were warm! Based on aug birth experience

  • Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

    Great practice, very organized and thorough. All doctors are great, but you have to be okay with seeing multiple doctors, as there is no guarantee who will be on-call when you give birth. Of course I had my favorites (Dr. Collins and Dr. Whitehead), but made sure I saw all doctors at least once so a "stranger" didn't greet me in the delivery room. Dr. Collins was on-call when I went into labor and I ended up having an emergency c-section, which Dr. Collins handled expertly. I also experienced borderline mastitis my first night home and had no idea what was going on. I called the after-hours line and a nurse practitioner walked me through how to relieve the issue via multiple phone calls throughout the night. Based on July 2016 birth experience

  • Downtown Women OBGYN

    All the OBs at this practice were amazing. Very detail oriented and knowledgeable. I was confident in all doctors' abilities to deliver my baby. Based on Feb 2017 birth experience

  • Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

    I really liked all the provides at Downtown Women. They were nice and good at explaining everything, and I also felt that I had some control over the experience. During the birth Dr. Min was very aware of what I was feeling, and adjusted how I was positioned (in a positive way) without me even saying the other position didn't feel right. She was very calming throughout the whole process. Based on January, 2017 birth experience

  • Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

    Downtown Women is a really busy practice, so you don't spend a lot of time with your providers when you come in for office visits, and you don't have a specific OB, you just see whoever you can schedule with. That said, I liked all the doctors and midwives at the practice, and found them to be knowledgable and respectful of my wishes and preferences. In general, their philosophy is low-intervention but very evidence-based, which aligned with my own preferences. Based on February 2017 birth experience

  • Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

    So-so. Pros: efficient, no long waiting times, helpful staff. Cons: They dont volunteer a lot of information, you need to ask. Really push induction if you go over your due date. One provider was very condescending, but you rotate between providers. Based on Nov 2016 birth experience

  • Review submitted via the PSP Birth Survey

    Wonderful team! Downtown has been with me through 3 miscarriages, IVF and now a birth. They did an amazing job throughout. Based on January 2017 birth experience

  • Review submitted via the 2016 Birth Survey

    Nancy and Emory are the midwives at Downtown women. Review I loved Nancy and Emory. They take a lot of time with you and were careful to answer all my questions. Based on July 2016 birthing experience

  • Review submitted via the 2016 Birth Survey

    All of the doctors in the group are fantastic! We rotated during my pregnancy and always felt well informed, safe and well cared for. Dr Min and Dr Ufberg ended up handling my labor/delivery (they switched partway through labor) and it was a really positive experience overall. Based on july 2016 birthing experience

  • Review submitted via the 2016 Birth Survey

    I love this practice. I was looking for no nonsense doctors who weren't into interventions. I wasn't looking for a real bond with my ob, just someone I trusted who listened and was available, and not c-section or induction happy. At this practice, you are seen by all the doctors so you know the person who will be with you for delivery. And they have midwife checkups as well, and I loved the midwives. Based on July 2016 birthing experience

  • Review submitted via the 2016 Birth Survey

    I liked some of the doctors in this practice and was very lucky to have one of my favorites, Dr Whitehead, on call during my induction. She was very patient, encouraging, competent and cool during some tough moments and all in all led me through the process brilliantly. I chose this practice because they deliver at NYU and I had been a patient previously. Some doctors in the practice can come off as cool and not very caring, but as long as you are a good advocate for yourself, they don't shy away from answering questions. Excellent nurses line and after hours support. And medically I was confident I received great care during my pregnancy. Based on March 2016 birthing experience

  • Review submitted via the 2016 Birth Survey

    My primary OB was Dr Whitehead. I adore her, and she is my favorite in the practice! Since you get "shared" amongst the entire practice and don't know who will be in the delivery room with you, you rotate at each visit throughout pregnancy to meet all doctors and midwives. They all have different bedside manners and approaches, so it is great to meet all of them and ask them all the same questions so you know what to expect when game-day comes around. I lucked out and had my two favorites: Dr Whitehead and Dr Min - whose shifts overlapped during my delivery date and so they both ended up in the room with me in the end. I had to be induced due to very low amniotic fluid post due-date, and Dr Whitehead insured that the approach was as gentle and natural as possible (e.g. administered the minimum amount of pitocin to start and said would only increase if deemed necessary - which it wasn't, ultimately). She and Dr Min both fully respected and supported my preference for as natural a birth as possible, and I feel that I got exactly the care and advice that I wished for and expected. (I delivered vaginally in the end, and with no interventions other than being induced.) Dr LaJoie and Dr Shih did not have my preferred bedside manner (I felt they were at times condescending, but worth noting that I was an overly sensitive hormonal pregnant woman at the time!), and I did not feel they always shared my exact philosophies of child birthing (a bit by the book and more interested in dictating what they felt was the first, safe option rather than exploring/discussing other options), but I fully trust them as highly qualified doctors who always had me and my baby's health and safety as their highest priority. The ENTIRE practice and staff offered incredible support and guidance through a toxoplasmosis scare, a previa, and a bleeding incident (which led to hospitalization in my 7th month). I very highly recommend this practice. Based on February 2016 birthing experience

  • Review submitted via the 2016 Birth Survey

    It's a good practice, and I really liked all the doctors I met with. Unfortunately, the doctor who was on duty the night I gave birth was one of the only few doctors I never met. I ended up having to be induced three weeks early and I was an unprepared emotional mess. Dr. LaJoie didn't have the best bedside manner and seemed impatient with me, and when she told me I'd need to have a C-section she was abrasive and kind of mean about it all. I loved Dr. Collins, though, and she's the one who realized I needed to be induced and is the one who sent me to the hospital. I really think she saved my daughter's life. I wish she could have been in Labor and Delivery with me! Based on March 2016 birthing experience

  • Review submitted by 2016 Birth Survey

    This practice is large which I think is the only downside. I love dr whitehead who ended up being the one to deliver me. She was so supportive and encouraging in the delivery room, and helped me avoid having any assistance (eg vacuum etc) which was really important to me. Also their office is very conveniently located with the benefit of delivering at NYU hospital. Member notes about insurance: They do take insurance. I haven't had much experience to speak of related to insurance which I guess means it's a good experience! Based on a march 2016 birthing experience

  • Review submitted by 2016 Baby Survey

    I wanted to try for a natural birth with no medication using the Bradley Method. They were supportive of this approach, but wanted me to be open to the fact that things may not go as planned and interventions may be necessary. I liked that either way I felt the practice was qualified to deliver my baby. They also kept check-ups short and just checked my weight, blood pressure, and baby's heartbeat leaving testing to a minimum as long as there were no causes for concern as in my case. In all, I was very pleased with how the doctors handled my labor and postpartum care. Would highly recommend the practice group. Member notes about insurance: Yes, they submitted claims on my behalf. Based on a February 2016 birthing experience

  • Review submitted by 2016 Baby Survey

    This is a practice where you see multiple MDs and each has their own approach. While the doctors are good and have different styles my overall feeling was that I felt my desire to have a natural childbirth was supported but I was frustrated to be reminded that its gonna be painful etc. The main problem I had with them is they absolutely don't want you to go over 41 weeks. They started to talk induction with me 2 days before my due date (!) and it really stressed me out. They made me sign a lengthy waiver when I declined to induce. It pissed me off and left me feeling unsupported. My son was born at 41 weeks and one day with an unmedicated birth. They also do a ton of sonograms and told me there was no risk but after I did more reading I feel that it isn't an accurate portrayal. Overall, the care is medically good, some of the doctors are very good but I would not stay with this practice if I were to do it again. Based on a January 2016 birthing experience

  • Review submitted by 2016 Baby Survey

    We found their attitude every checkup a bit brisk and not too informative but came labor time - they were really good Member notes about insurance: Yes. It was smooth Based on a January 2016 birthing experience

  • Re: [ANONYMOUS] OBGYN good w/maternal mental health issues

    My first and second pregnancies were managed and delivered by the wonderful OBs and midwives at Downtown Women Obgyn in soho. They deliver at NYU and what I love about the practice is there's a pre and postnatal social worker who specializes in all things mental and emotional re: pregnancy and parenthood. She works full time at the practice and will give you her cell number for emergencies but also holds support groups and individual sessions. I can't recommend this practice enough and when my second preg had a couple scary complications in the beginning, Emory (midwife) went above and beyond to offer support. Dr. LaJoie is my favorite OB there and delivered both my babies and called several times in the weeks following to check in on me. Dr. Min is also lovely and gentle and was exactly what i needed when I was experiencing OCD stuff and anxiety as well. She had good referrals for outside help, too. Good luck!

  • Re: [ANONYMOUS] OBGYN good w/maternal mental health issues

    I recommend Downtown Women's Obgyn in Soho. They deliver at NYU. Hope that helps!

  • [ANONYMOUS] Village OB worth paying out of pocket?

    I can't speak to Village OB, but we made a very very late switch (like, 37 weeks) to Downtown Women's when it became clear that I needed a scheduled C section and they were great. They were super-accommodating, offered me a gentle c-section before I even had the chance to ask, helped me understand what to expect and substantially alleviated my anxiety (I'd been planning on a natural childbirth, which I'd done very successfully with my first), and made me feel taken care of every step of the way. They deliver at NYU and the care there was really exceptional - very different from the birthing center at St Luke's where I'd had my first, of course, but pretty amazing in terms of helping me get started quickly on my recovery.

  • Review submitted via 2015 Birth Survey

    REVIEW: Fantastic practice. Very mum & baby friendly. Never waited for an appointment. All doctors were very friendly & very professional. Very open to patient led birth plans. INSURANCE Aetna. No issues

  • Review submitted via 2015 Birth Survey

    REVIEW: Downtown Women's was my OB/GYN even before I became pregnant. But I loved them even more through my pregnancy. There are a number of doctors who work collaboratively. You meet with a different doctor for every visit (obviously with some repeats). That way when you go into labor, no matter who is on duty, you will be familiar with them. Their offices are lovely and everyone is really great. There was only one doctor I didn't love she was even "fine." They deliver at NYU Langone which is a fantastic facility. INSURANCE Yes. Everything was easy peasy. Based on a September 2015 birth

  • Review submitted via 2015 Birth Survey

    REVIEW: All of the Drs in this practice were great. I wanted a more natural birth with little intervention. They were very open to my while birth plan while still offering conventional medical practices if needed. INSURANCE They seem to take it all. It's a pretty big practice with a competent billing department. Based on a December 2015 birth

  • Review submitted via 2015 Birth Survey

    REVIEW: I had an overall good experience with this practice. I believe there are currently 6 female ob/gyn doctors and you rotate through them during pregnancy; they also rotate who is on call for delivery. I loved that wait times were usually minimal, since the doctor you are seeing that day is not on call. The tradeoff is that you don't get to know the docs that well, and you don't know who will deliver you. I found all of the doctors to be perfectly nice, smart and competent, but it was definitely not a warm and fuzzy experience. INSURANCE Yes; no issues with claims. Based on a June 2015 birth

  • Review submitted via 2015 Birth Survey

    REVIEW: Two things about this - It is OK to switch doctors during your pregnancy. If you're having a hard time with the wait time in the appointments, or reaching people, don't think that changing a doctor is bad. You will spend a TON of time in the waiting room and in that office during your pregnancy so you should try to be comfortable. I first went to see Dr. Harry Lee and I had a terrible time across the board. He is great for some people but for me, I didn't feel comfortable with him - just small things he would say, or information that he didn't give to me (i.e., I didn't realize that I could find out the gender of my child at one of the tests, and so I never found it out until weeks and weeks after the fact). I waited for 90 minutes the first appointment to see him. I asked him what his philosophy was about birthing and he acted like I had three heads. It was just not right for me. So I changed to Downtown Women and it was hectic but it was fine in the end. In general you should feel comfortable with the general vibe when you're in the OBGYN's office. Not like frustrated and "unheard". I'm glad I made the switch to a place that I felt more comfortable. INSURANCE Downtown women took Aetna I assigned the insurance thing to my husband. It took months to handle it all - I don't know why! But it seems pretty dang complicated. This is one thing I'm very happy that I delegated to somebody else. Based on a May 2016 birth

  • Review submitted via 2015 Birth Survey

    REVIEW: I am inclined to be well versed in research but rely on the medical professionals advice. All the doctor's at downtown women are exceedingly helpful with answering questions, calming your fears and giving you practical information. I only had an issue once during my entire pregnancy and that was a result of a miscommunication between their office and my primary care physician's receptionist. INSURANCE I have Aetna and they accept it. Filing claims has been a smooth process. My insurance only rejected one claim for one of the more expensive chromosomal tests. Based on a August 2015 birth

  • Review submitted via 2015 Birth Survey

    REVIEW: The practice wants each patient to meet as many of their doctors as possible. The rationale is that when delivery day comes you would have met the doctor before. While a nice notion, I found that as a result I didn't get to know any doctor at all. All of the appointments were brief and quite rushed. Since I had to reexplain everything to each doctor, the already short appointment was even shorter. There is an assembly line feel to the practice. I was there for my second child, therefore didn't have as many questions or concerns as I did the first time. With that said, I didn't like that aspect of the practice. Many people I have spoke to saw the speed of each visit as a positive. With so many doctors and short visits, it is easy to book an appointment. A word of caution regarding front desk/appointment line, they do not always answer the phone during business hours and 2 of my date specific appointments were scheduled incorrectly (I caught the error both times). The doctors were knowledgeable and deliver at NYU.

  • Review submitted via 2015 Birth Survey

    REVIEW: my main doctor in the practice is Dr whitehead. She is amazing, compassionate, and helpful. When i gave birth i had Dr reddy (who i think is not longer with the practice). She was supper patient with me, and took her time (2.5 hours of pushing!). cant say anything bad about the practice. INSURANCE yes, and there were no issues Based on a January 2015 birth

  • Review submitted via 2015 Birth Survey

    REVIEW: overall I really liked downtown women: -always felt like the quality of care was really high no matter which doctor in the practice i was seeing -easy to schedule appointments; administratively everything was good/simple -generally ran on time for appointments (a few exceptions to this but overall they were good) -they are supportive of natural childbirth only downsides: -there are so many doctors in the practice you may only see some of them once and not really get to know them very well, and any one of the doctors could end up delivering your baby INSURANCE yes, they take insurance and I've had no problems. Based on a December 2015 birth

  • Review submitted via 2015 Birth Survey

    REVIEW: Really liked all of the doctors in this group. My primary was Dorothy Min but Dr Whitehead ended up delivering me and she was great. Dr Lajoie did a lot of the in-hospital follow up care and I was happy to be in her care. For prenatal care, the place is a bit of a factory and I often waited a fair amount of time for appointments but was overall happy with my care and really appreciated being cared for by all women doctors around my own age. INSURANCE I had A very specific, new Aetna plan. Asked if they took it before my first appointment and was told they did. And only I after I had my baby did I find out that they were out of network, because they bill you only at the very end for all of your prenatal care! So that was a rough bill to receive but the billing department ended up waiving all the out of pocket fees Based on a June 2015 birth

  • Review submitted via 2015 Birth Survey

    I could not be happier with Downtown Women. Instead of seeing one doctor, you rotate through all the doctors in the practice so that you are familiar with them all because whomever is on call the day you go into labor will deliver your baby. I was comfortable with every doctor in the practice, but Dr. Anna Taylor Shih ended up delivering my daughter. She was so wonderful. I would recommend her to anyone and everyone. INSURANCE Yes. They were responsive to every need I had, including work related forms. Based on a October 2015 birth

  • Review submitted via the 2014 Birthing Survey

    Overall, I really enjoyed my pregnancy experience with Downtown Women but because of my experience with one doctor during my birth, I will not use them if I have another child. First, the good. Doctors Min, Whitehead, Taylor-Shih and LaJoie are all lovely, warm, and supportive doctors. Dr Taylor-Shih attended most of my labor (I outlasted her 24 hour shift), and was a reassuring and warm presence, patient with my questions and never pressuring me about decisions. Organizationally, the reception and billing departments were always helpful and nice (strangely rare at NYC doctors offices in my experience). I never waited at appointments, and it was always very easy to get an appointment at the time I wanted. But like I mentioned, I would not use them again if Dr Reddy is still there. After a very long labor, I ended up having a c section which Dr Reddy performed. They wheeled me out of the OR and then, *poof* she vanished. She never came into the recovery area to discuss my surgery with me. Never stopped by my room to see how I was doing. I actually didn't see a doctor from the practice until 2 days after my son's birth. After a very, very long labor with multiple medical interventions, and then a surgery that I found very traumatic, I frankly felt abandoned and lacking information about my own health and the procedures that were performed on me. I do want to add that once they heard about the situation at my 6 weeks postpartum appointment, Dr Lajoie and one of the midwives Emory, were both immensely empathetic and kind, and went above and beyond to help me. Dr Reddy on the other hand was her regular brisk and dismissive self, offering no real explanation other than they were busy. Insurance details: Yes, and I had no issues. Review based on birth of 2014 baby

  • Review submitted via the 2014 Birthing Survey

    Member Review: Overall great experience. Each doctor and midwife seemed truly invested in our care. The group practice was a positive for me; being able to interact with each doctor and midwife gave me a good level of comfort that I would know the dr performing the delivery and feel a personal connection (I did!). The care was thorough, never rushed, and thoughtful and I never felt a sense of judgement from any of the caretakers regarding any decisions or questions throughout the pregnancy (ie. I felt strongly about an epidural and that was respected; the practice encouraged but did not force breastfeeding, etc) Insurance details: Used cigna and only needed to pay for co-pays. Review based on birth of 2014 baby

  • Review submitted via the 2014 Birthing Survey

    Member Review: Loved most of the clinicians, especially Dr. Whitehead and the NP Emory Ship. Their philosophy is progressive, that they will support any type of birth that a woman wants, but when push comes to shove, they are doctors, they are not going to take risks, and will absolutely push inductions, c-sections, etc. Though they have the lowest c-section rate of any practice that delivers at NYU, it's still almost 30%. Insurance details: No issues with insurance - united health care Review based on birth of 2014 baby

  • Review submitted via the 2014 Birthing Survey

    Member Review: Overall, I had a very positive experience with DTW. You initially meet with one of the nurse-midwives and then see all 6 of the doctors throughout your visits so you are familiar with whoever is on call when you go into labor. Dr. Kramer was there when I arrived and supported me through a very long labor that ended in a cesarean. Even though I was going for a vaginal delivery, she gave me as much leeway as possible to do follow my original birth plan. And, she never pushed an intervention before I was ready and talked through each step as it came. They deliver at NYU, which I was very happy with - as others had told me, the nurses are great. VEry easy to talk to, several were young moms and had some great tips to pass on. My few negatives are the commute into the city (those stairs at Broadway/Lafayette in the third trimester....) and the one front desk guy who always seemed annoyed to talk to you. But everyone else was very nice. Insurance details: They take a bunch of insurance, included Empire Blue Cross PPO(which I had initially) and Oxford (which my job switched to while I was pregnant). All I had to do was give the billing office the new info and they took care of everything. I just had 1 office visit copay and one hospital copay and I used flex spending. No issues for labs, ultrasounds, etc. I did not think it would be so easy. Their billing office gets a big gold star! Review based on birth of 2014 baby

  • Review submitted via the 2014 Birthing Survey

    Member Review: I had been going to Downtown Women for 8 years, so when I got pregnant, it was an easy decision to utilize their ob practice. I have always loved that all of their practitioners are female and that they have midwives and nurse-practitioners on staff in addition to licensed doctors. The atmosphere in their office is friendly and non-threatening; it is not tense and uptight like some places. One of the best things about their ob practice is that they ensure that you meet every single practitioner multiple times throughout your pregnancy; that way, no matter who is on call when you go into labor, it is a familiar face. After 16 hours of active labor and 2 hours of pushing, Dr. LaJoie delivered my huge (10 lbs!) daughter; I had minimal tearing and a speedy recovery. I feel confident that with a less supportive doctor and nursing staff (NYU was great!), I would have had to have a c-section. Insurance details: I had United healthcare, which DW took, and it was a very easy, painless process. Review based on birth of 2014 baby

  • Review submitted via the 2014 Birthing Survey

    Member Review: I had a great experience with Downtown women. I love how you get to meet with every doctor in the practice and the nurses/midwives along the way. The doctors were all great and made me feel comfortable and well cared for. My only hesitation is that I wanted to go for a natural birth and felt supported in that up until it got close to my due date and somehow I felt less supported - at least told I would have to be induced if I went 2 weeks past my due date. But that seems to be pretty standard. In the end I went into labor before my due date, did opt for an epidural but had an overall very positive experience with the doctors. Insurance details: Yes - Cigna - they made it super easy. Review based on birth of 2014 baby

  • Review submitted via the 2014 Birthing Survey

    Member Review: Great. Set of rotating (women only) obs. All very competent and friendly. I had to call a few times with questions and emergencies and always spoke with someone within 5 minutes of a call. Insurance details: The practice handled everything with the insurance. After handing over my card, I never had to deal with insurance again. Used both cigna and Aetna. Review based on birth of 2014 baby

  • Review submitted via the 2014 Birthing Survey

    Member Review: Having had a very negative OB experience with my first child (with a different practice), I was basically terrified at the start of my second pregnancy. I can't say enough how wonderful the whole Downtown Women team was to me, throughout the process. I'm sure I was not an easy patient, but everyone was lovely to me, patient, kind, and reassuring. They worked with me about the medical processes I wanted to skip or approach differently, including letting me monitor my blood sugar instead of doing a glucose test, postponing blood work on days when I was in rough shape, and honoring all aspects of my birthplan. Dr. LaJoie, who was present at delivery, was incredibly lovely, calming and joyful. She worked with me to find compromises that were medically sound but kept me feeling safe, and rather than finding my needs to do some things differently from most patients, she praised me for knowing what my body needed. I cannot praise her and the entire practice enough. Insurance details: I had two different insurance companies at different points in my pregnancy. The second one, which downtown women accepts, was fine. Billing was trickier with the first, for whom this was out of network, and in fact one bill did end up getting refused. The practice was helpful, and I blame the insurance company for being sleezy, but it was still a lot of money. Review based on birth of 2014 baby

  • Re: ISO: Ob affilitated with NYU

    Downtown Women OBGYN in SoHo is great.

  • Re: ISO: Ob affilitated with NYU

    I used Downtown Women OB-GYN Associates. You meet all the doctors and each one is great. I also had a great experience at NYU.

  • (no subject)

    I used Leslie Gruss, at downtown women obgyn for many years until I got pregnant....she doesn't deliver babies anymore. She was great, low key and smart. The office is very nice and there are several doctors in the practice. September 2012

  • (no subject)

    I use downtown women's obgyn in soho and love them. Before I switched to the ob side, I saw dr. Buxbaum. She is wonderful. September 2012

  • Birth Survey 2012

    REVIEW: The hospital is "eh." It was sufficient in all areas -- staff was knowledgable and the maternity ward was just redone, so all post-partum rooms are nice and large and neonatal unit is new and on par with other hospitals. With insistence, support staff will follow your orders for a natural childbirth if you wish. It is an extremely sterile environment though, without many "natural" birth props that you might find in a birthing center. They did have a wonderful lactation consultant though, and supported breastfeeding if requested. Another benefit is that it is a small hospital, and easy and cheap to get a private room. Finally, it should be noted that the hospital draws on the local community, which in this case is Chinatown. INSURANCE ISSUES: yes, and no problem filing claims. Review Date: April 2012

  • (no subject)

    I really like my gyn, Dr Goodstein at Downttown Women OBGYN. (November 2011)

  • (no subject)

    All the practitioners -- doctors, nurses, midwives -- at Downtown Women are phenomenal. I've been going there since 1989 for gyn care, and just had baby #2 with them 8 weeks ago. My OB/GYN is Suzanne LaJoie -- LOVE HER! -- but everyone there is talented, kind and open to discussion about any and all issues and concerns. I especially appreciate that they are not only funny and patient and smart (as all doctors should be, really) but also diverse in age, race and sexual orientation. I think they've made a real effort to make sure all women feel comfortable and accepted there, and I appreciate that a lot. (September 2011)

  • (no subject)

    I gave birth in NYDowntown hospital a year ago and totally loved it! Dr. Russell is amazing and she chose the hospital because of the care. The nurses were absolutely amazing and caring. I would totally deliver there again!

  • (no subject)

    If you are willing to consider manhattan, I love mine: Dr. Catherine Goodstein at Downtown Women's obgyn. (Recommended, March 2010).

  • (no subject)

    I have birth there two years ago and it was fine. The nurses are really friendly and sweet and attentive.

  • (no subject)

    I would like to leave feedback about Suzanne Lajoie, MD based on my experience with her in the labor and delivery of our first child. Having just had a completely different experience with our second child (with a different provider), I feel compelled to share my feelings about Dr. Lajoie's poor bedside manner, and seeming indifference to the emotional well being of her clients. My wife and I utilized the services of Downtown Women OBGYN based on the recommendation of a good friend. Despite somewhat evasive answers about cesarean rates, we were generally happy with the service we received from all the providers in that office. I personally met 4 of them, but unfortunately I never had the chance to meet Dr. Lajoie prior to arriving at NYU Hospital for the labor and delivery. Despite a well enunciated Labor Plan and a desire for a natural childbirth, throughout the labor and delivery we felt coerced into allowing interventive methods (pitocin, epidural) to speed up the process. This isn't necessarily uncommon for a practice/hospital that doesn't view chemical intervention and cesarean surgery as problematic in the birthing experience, but at times Dr. Lajoie seemed annoyed by our reluctance and gave gruff, patronizing responses to our questions. At one point after an hour of unsuccessful pushing, she took a seat to the side of the table and said something to the effect of "you can go ahead and push if you want, but I don't think it's going to change anything". By the time we consented to the cesarean surgery we felt completely defeated and betrayed by our "provider". I have no recollection of having any interaction with her after the baby was delivered in perfect health. Though I am confident that she is medically competent, in terms of compassion I consider her severely lacking. I would never recommend her to any mother that hopes to have any sort of control over her birthing experience, especially if she hopes to pursue a natural childbirth. (Reviewed 2/10)

 

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