Q&A: I'm entering my thirty-first week and I'm considering switching my OB-GYN.

You can switch doctors any time but another doctor may not be willing to take you as a patient late in pregnancy. For example, another OB-GYN may not want to take on a patient who comes with another doctor's version of prenatal care. Then again, doctors who are still building their practices would be eager to accept a new patient anytime. So the thing to do is make a short list of doctors who have been referred to you and then make some phone calls. Ask each doctor whether she accepts new patients and whether she's willing to take you this far along in your pregnancy. Ultimately, any good doctor should be able to catch up, no matter how late.

Before you switch, you may want to talk to your current doctor. You say you feel neglected; if you do, then talk to your doctor and use those exact words. It may be that he or she doesn't have a clue how you feel and your leaving would come as a complete mystery. If you've already talked to your doctor and your concerns haven't been resolved, then you need to find someone you will be happy with.

Your new doctor may be curious about why you switched. I just want to make a couple points to answer your question completely, not to insult. But make sure you've been doing your part as a patient—following your doctor's instructions, being on time to appointments, etc. In short, are you making it harder for the doctor to give you good care?

In the end, a doctor-patient relationship in pregnancy should be really comfortable, and if it isn't, you need to relate this to your doctor and/or go elsewhere.