Anyone Had Experience with Valley Women for Women?

Hi H.,

I had a HORRIBLE experience with Valley Women for Women, and I encourage you to find a different group of doctors. In my experience, the NP was the worst, I was sick and she joked at how low my blood sugar was and that she couldn't "find" my blood pressure. To make a long story short, I ended up going to the ER because I didn't feel my baby move for two hours and the doctors and triage nurse blew me off and said I had a stomach bug... I was flown out of Mercy Gilbert within hours, and my baby was taken via cesarean because I was having liver failure (known as Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy – AFLP, which should have been caught in the early states had I been seen by a competent doctor). I had an internal bleed, followed by a second surgery and 14 days in a comatose state. If you would like more details please PM me.

I really wanted to deliver at Mercy Gilbert because it is a beautiful hospital - which in retrospect is the wrong reason. There are many great hospitals and doctors in the valley, I encourage you to get a good referral (and I can refer my new OB/GYN who is an MD - only one of the docs at VWFW is an MD).

You don't realize what an important decision your prenatal care is until you can look back at an experience like I had and wish, and wish, and wish that you had been in the care of better doctors. Thank God the doctors who took care of me at Good Sam and St. Joe's were wonderful, and saved my life.

Oh, and by the way, VWFW never even bothered to follow up with me after I was released from the hospital. I did however follow up with them; I wrote a very heartfelt letter regarding their insufficient care. I don't know why they are even doctors - they are booked to the minute and obviously only in it for the money.

1 mom found this helpful

I just went to them for my annual check up (that I hadn't had in over two years!). I've been experiencing pain during intercouse (sorry if that too much info, but it's part of the response), so I really wanted a good check up. I saw Jennifer, the PA, the first time, and she was great. She seemed concerned and determined to find out what was going on. When I went back for the ultrasound/results, I saw Holly, another PA. I did NOT care for her at all. She totally blew me off, and recommended BC since she said it was "probably" only a small cyst causing the pain. When I told her that I was still nursing and asked if the "ring" (the bc she recommended) was safe for nursing moms, she said, "I would assume so." Assume???? I felt like crying! I left there with no answers, an assumption that BC would help and be safe (which I researched on my OWN and found out it is NOT safe for breastfeeding moms), and I'm still in pain. Anyway, that was my experience--maybe you'll have a better one.

Hello,
I have had a good experience with VWFW. I love the Docs. Dr. Adams delivered my daughter and Dr.Muniz delivered my son(both C-Sect)at Mercy Gilbert. I have also seen Dr. Belisle and Dr. Van Eken and would have been happy to have either one of them deliver my kids. I agree that the office is very busy and you do not get to see a Dr. every visit-unless you specifically request one, however I felt the PA's and nurses were more than capable of addressing my questions and concerns. I love the fact that you can blood work and ultrasounds in the office. I would definately recommend this practice having had a bad experience with a male OB/GYN, I feel VWFW is a youthful, supportive, and well trained group of female doctors that made me feel safe in their care!

Hey H.!

I love these guys!!! Typically when you go in you see PA's (physician assistants) but they are all really nice except for Holly Todd...she is just a little rough for me and not very social and my fav. PA is Jennifer Murphy! The drs are usually so BUSY that you only see them for big appts or by request and you have to book it in advance so what I did was make all my appts my 2nd or 3rd visit that way I knew I could get the time and the person I wanted. Everyone works together there and whoever is on call is who delivers your baby so you get to meet all the drs and you may be able to request a certain dr but it is unlikely. Dr. Belisle was my fav dr but Dr. Adams ended up delivering my baby via repeat C section and she did an OUTSTANDING job!!!! I was so impressed! We are going to start trying for #3 and I am so happy that they are opening that Gilbert office cuz I am 2 sec. away noW! I hope this helps!!!
T.

Hello H.,
I delivered at Mercy Gilbert with Dr Clint Leonard-He's very kind, and intelligent. If you check out his website you can see all the honors he received in his degree. Office at Lindsey and Pecos
www.morningstarobgyn.com
I've also heard excellent reviews of Dr David Kells-Also delivers at MG Office at Dobson and Frye.
Dr Stephen Eddy-not at MG Dobson and Frye
My mom is a midwife and these are the three top OBGYNS she works with.
Good Luck!
-C.

I also used Dr. Partridge's office when delivering my now 3-yo son and at that time Dr. Van Eiken (sp?) was working there. She now opened the new office of Valley Women for Women with some collegues. I have yet to go there, but I definitely would recommend her. She is wonderful and very kind.

Hello H.,My experience with VMforW are great. My Dr. Belisle (I think, ramdon thinking. she is great. I have had a great experience with. I see lots of women going there. I am also very happy that they have a tech to do an sonagram on the premises,etc. I hope I helped you.

I used VWFW and was very pleased with my experience. They rotate doctors so you see different ones each time. When it comes time to deliver, one of them will be there. I like that because I didn't want to have some stranger deliver my baby. I always had good "customer service" and I thought the office was very comfortable. If we get pregnant again, I will go with them.

(Dr. Belisle delivered my baby and was waiting for me when I got to the hospital. Great bedside manner and made me feel very comfortable throughout.)

Hi H.! I'm a 43 yr old first time mom who had a wonderful experience with this practice. I was pleased with all of the docs and their staff. My daughter was born in 7/07 at Mercy Gilbert and we were glad we selected this hospital as well. If you need any additional info, please let me know.

H.,
I don't know why but for some reason VWWW charge a lot more to your insurance. Mine only covered 80% after my deductible. I had an at risk pregnancy but they couldn't ever tell me why I had to have an ultrasound every time and also did it in 3-D which I had to pay more for.
I hated Holly, she never listened to me. Some other lady I(I forget her name she was new) was TRYING to tell me why I needed a CS. Trying is the key word, I asked several questions and she couldn't answer any of them. I walked out that day and told her I didn't think she paid attention in school and she wasn't paying attention now. I rescheduled to see Dr. Adams since I didn't want to completely change that late. By the 7th month the only people I would see were Dr. Adams and her PA Jennifer - they should work at a different practice. But, I ended up having and emergency CS and some crazy doctor at Mercy Gilbert did it. She was crazy but AWESOME!!!!
Point of story, if you want a certain doc to be there for your delivery don't go to VWWW. They cannot tell you who will deliver your baby. Also, they never even followed up with me. They couldn't care less about the patient, only the money. If you choose to go then watch the billing and how many tests they run.
I would NEVER go back there.
K.

Hi H.,

After having a horrible experience with my previous OBGYN, I got some referrals and switched to Valley Women for Women with Dr. Adams. I absolutely LOVE her - however I had some issues with the rest of the office. I agree with the other response about lots of expensive testing. My baby was measuring big (my first son was almost 10 lbs, so this wasn't a surprise), but they made me have an ultrasound about every month - and then when I was about 2 months out, I had ultrasounds every other week! It was crazy! Talk about lots of medical bills! I wish I had known better to say something and let them know that I really didn't feel the need for that many ultrasounds. Since I ended up having to have a C-section (baby was measuring about 10 lbs at 36 weeks) - I was lucky that Dr. Adams did the surgery. She was SO wonderful and caring. I did see everyone else in the office during other visits (doctors and PA's), and I had mixed feelings. Because I'm a larger woman, EVERY time I went in, whoever I was seeing would want to check my blood sugar levels and my blood pressure. I NEVER had high blood pressure, and all of my blood sugar tests had come back normal. Yet they still made me take the 4 hour blood sugar test... I also only gained about 20 lbs with my second pregnancy and they still gave me a hard time about watching my blood pressure and blood sugars. My 2nd son was born completely healthy at 10 lbs. 9 oz. Anyway - before I chose Valley Women for Women, I was looknig into a male doctor with his own office (can't remember his name). Since I wanted a female doctor, I chose VWFW, however if I knew I was going to be able to deliver vaginally again, I would have chosen the other office. I hated not knowing who would be delivering my baby. Hope this helps!

I am 15 weeks and Have been going to them for this preganacy. So far so good! They have everything in house (Lab, ultrasound)which is very convienient, especially when you have a littleone with you at you appointments. You see all the doctors in the practice and will be delivered bu the on call Dr.. So far I have had a very positive experience at Valley Women for Women!

Good Luck!
P.S. New office opens in June

I LOVE Valeey Women for Women, they have been great with me. I have been going for 3 years now, they delivered my son 2 years ago. I see anyone of the 3 doctors there, mostly Vanekeen or Adams, but Belilse is great too.
How you can enjoy them as much as I do! My sister and sister in law all go to the group.
Best of luck!

Hi H.,
I'm due in June with my second child and made the switch to Valley Women for Women with this pregnancy as my last OBGYN's office was in Tempe and used to be close to my place of work, but then I moved offices to downtown. So I decided to change Dr's as I live near Chandler Regional and they were scheduled to also open a new office next to that hospital as well. To be perfectly honest, I'm REALLY regretting that I made the switch. First of all, the office they were going to have built next to Chandler Regional fell through, so I've been forced to drive all the way to their Gilbert office on Baseline and Gilbert road for the duration of my pregnancy. This has been a huge burden (with high gas $, etc.), but they kept telling me it would be another month, then another month and now finally, it's not happening at all...
Secondly, since I've been going there (I'm almost 34 weeks pregnant) I've seen a different practioner every single time. I feel as if I know no one and that I'm just in a big cattle prod. Let me be clear that in no way have I been mistreated, but they really don't seem to care too much and mostly I've felt that they can't get me out of the room fast enough when I am there for my appointments. I was excited to go to a place where there were only women practioners and really thought that I would have a more enriching experience. I truly wish I had stayed with my previous OBGYN where he was the only practioner with a female nurse practioner. I only saw him and he was the one that delivered my first baby. By the end of the pregnancy, I knew everyone in the office and they were all very kind. I have no idea who will actually deliver my baby with this office and really it doesn't even matter, as I don't feel as if I have a connection with any of them. So incredibly disappointing. I've heard that Dr. Partridge's office is sort of the same way (a lot of Dr's), so perhaps you may not mind this system as much. I actually wish that I had chosen their office instead if I knew I was going to see so many different Dr's. At least is would have been closer to my home! Hopes this helps and good luck to you!

I am begging you, please do not go to Valley Women for Women for obstetric care! I changed doctors when I was in my 34th week because we were soo unhappy! They only schedule you for visits with PA's. I was high risk and saw an actual doctor ONCE, and I think that was during my 16th week. Despite my many attempts to see the OB, I was never scheduled with one. I got chicken pox in my 3rd trimester and I still couldnt get in with the doctor.

Seriously, tell everyone you know. Avoid Valley Women for Women. And if you do decide to stay, ask for Lori Driggs. I firmly believe that she is the only PA who has a clue but remember she wont be there for your delivery. I saw Holly and Jennifer too but both of them TOGETHER could not diagnose chicken pox!