As a gay man or lesbian living in New York City, it’s safe to assume that most places of business or community service will be gay-friendly. But there are always exceptions to the rule ¬– doctors or clinical staff that act taken aback upon learning you are two ladies or two men looking to start a family, or staff who just don’t give quite the level of attention you need. Conversely, there are doctors and clinics that get recommended from one gay family to the next because they either specialize in serving the gay community, or provide great service so matter what type of family they are serving. There’s no time that’s more important to feel accepted, cared for, and safe with your practitioner than during pregnancy and while giving birth. We’ve listed the most gay-friendly obstetricians, practices, midwives, and doulas available in NYC below.
A NOTE ABOUT MIDWIVES
We at It’s Conceivable love midwives. Why? First, they are tough cookies – many people have notions of midwives as some type of fringe group of earthy mamas unversed in “modern ? childbirth techniques. In reality, midwives are experts in pregnancy and birth as well as the preconception and gynecological needs of women. They may attend births at a hospital (see Hospital and Birth Center Midwifery Practices, below) or they may attend a birth at your home (See Home Birth Midwives, Below) as the primary care provider. Depending on their training and certifications, many midwives in NYC also provide at-home inseminationservices, reproductive education, annual gynecological exams, and postpartum care. Midwifery is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life processes and the Midwifery Model of Care includes providing the mother with hands-on assistance during labor, delivery, and postpartum, and minimizing technological interventions. Most midwives have completed nursing education as well as graduate level education in midwifery, are certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board, and are licensed to practice by the state. They are a great choice for women who would like a more personal relationship with their care provider, offering hospital birth, birth center, and home birth, as well as at-home inseminations and more.
A SMALLER NOTE ABOUT DOULAS
Doulas are trained professionals who provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a mother before, during, and after birth. According to the International Association Doulas of North America, (DONA), studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier, and they breastfeed more easily.
GAY-FRIENDLY OB-GYNS IN NYC:
DOWNTOWN WOMEN OB/GYN ASSOCIATES
568 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
Services Offered: Obstetrics and Gynecology
Size: Small – Medium
Accepts Cigna, Aetna, PHCS, Health Net, & Oxford Freedom insurance.
212-966-7600
Affliated Doctors:
Shelley Kolton, MD
Audrey Buxbaum, MD
Leslie Gruss, MD
Suzanne LaJoie, MD
Catherine Goodstein, MD
Devorah Daley, MD
Dorothy Min, MD
Nancy Kraus, CNM
Jessica Safier, PA-C
Elisabeth Newton, NP
Kerry Shefren, NP
Emory Ship, CNM
JAQUELINE WORTH, MD
Village Obstetrics
VOB North office
1225 Park Avenue, #1D
New York, NY 10128
VOB South office
101 West 12th Street
New York, NY 10011
Services: Full obstetric care for normal and high risk pregnancies. Expertise includes advanced maternal age, maternal or fetal medical complications, twins, natural childbirth, avoiding cesarean section, vaginal birth after cesarean section (vbac). Our cesarean section rate for patients in labor is one of the lowest in Manhattan (8%).
Size: Small, Personal
212-627-9556
email: DrW@vobsv.com
Note: Pregnancy and pre-conception care only.
JOSINE VECA, DO
NYM Women’s Health Associates
263 7th Avenue Suite 3A
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Services: Childbirth, OB-GYN
Insurance Accepted: Aetna,Blue Cross and Blue Shield PPO, Cigna, Coventry – First Health Network PPO, GHI HMO, Great West Healthcare PPO, HealthFirst, Humana – Choice Care PPO, Medicaid, Medicare, MultiPlan – PHCS PPO, Oxford Health Plans – Freedom Plan, Oxford Liberty, UniCare, United HealthCare, United HealthCare – Choice Plus POS, United HealthCare – Options PPO, WellPoint
BETH ISRAEL MEDICAL CENTER
OB/GYN / Midwifery Program
10 Union Square East
New York, NY 10003
Services: Obestetrics and Family Planning
Size: Large
Insurance Accepted: United Health, Oxford, Empire, Horizon, Cigna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Medicaid, Affinity, Center Care, Health First, and some other types of insurance.
Contact: 212-844-8590
BIZOVI WOMEN’S HEALTH
Dr Leslie Bizovi, OBGYN
160 Montague Street (between Henry St. and Clinton St.)
Brooklyn, New York 11201
Size: Small, Personal
Services: Prenatal, complicated gynecological issues, alternative inseminations, acupuncture
Insurance Accepted: Aetna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Cigna, Multiplan/PHCS
Contact Info: 718-362-0663
bizovigyn@gmail.com
CALLEN-LORDE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER
356 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
Size: Medium
Services: Lesbian and gay health care, Gynecological services
Insurance Accepted: ADAP Plus, Aetna, Anthem, Beech Street, Centercare, Cigna, Community Care Network, Consumer Health Network, Empire BC/BS, Empire Plan, FirstHealth, GHI, Healthfirst, Healthnet, HIP, Horizon, Magnacare, Medicaid, Medicare, Multiplan, Oxford, PHCS, SelectPro, and United.
Note: If you do not have health insurance and meet certain income, residency and/or medical requirements, offer on-site financial screenings, referral and enrollment assistance to obtain government-funded insurance programs. If you do not qualify for these plans, they offer a ‘sliding scale discount’ based upon your documented income and family dependents.
Contact Info: (212) 271-7200
www.callen-lorde.org/index.html
- LAWRENCE LEVITAN
106 East 35th Street
New York, NY 10016
212-679-2223
Accepts AARP, Aetna, Anthem, American Health, Cigna, First Health, HIPP, PHCS, Guardian, Medicare, United Health, Blue cross/Blue Shield, & 1199 insurance.
- SANFORD LEDERMAN, OB/GYN
9 Pierrepont Street
New York, NY
718-852-5810
Accepts Aetna, Cigna, First Health, Oxford, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, US Healthcare, and some other insurance.
- CARYN SELICK (FERTILITY SPECIALIST)
338 E 30th St. (b/w 1st and 2nd)
New York, NY
212-683-0090
Accepts Cigna (all forms), Oxford Freedom, Health Net, United healthcare, PHCS, Horizon PPO, Multiplan PPO, & Empire PPO/HMO insurance.
SPRING OB
135 Spring Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10012
Services: Obstetrics and Gynecological Care, Pre-pregnancy, pregnancy
Size: Small
212-219-1187
Affiliated Doctors:
Heidi Flagg, MD
Brina Maldonado, MD
Cara Dodson, MD
Marie Easterlin, MD
Danielle Feldman, MD
Linda Cho, MD
Bonnie Yim, CNM
Lauren Lese, CNM
- LUKES ROOSEVELT HOSPITAL CENTER DEPARTMENT OF OB-GYN
330 West 58th Street,
Suite 310, New York, New York 10019
Services: OB-GYN care
Phone: (212) 603-4173
Affiliated Doctors:
Katrina Bradley, MD
Anna Rhee, MD
Amy Huang, MD
Zhanna Rutstein-Shulina, MD
Notes: Will deliver at the birthing center or in a regular delivery room.
HOSPITAL AND BIRTH CENTER MIDWIFERY PRACTICES:
MIDWIFERY OF MANHATTAN
330 West 58th Street
Suite 505
New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-957-3006
Fax: 212-957-3010
http://www.midwiferyofmanhattan.com
Attend births at Roosevelt Hospital’s Birth Center
Affiliated Midwives:
Sylvie Blaustein, CNM
Rosanne Cosentino, CNM
Beth Kriegsman, CNM
Casey Selzer, CNM
Amanda Segilia, CNM
Laura Zeidenstein, CNM, DNP
BROOKLYN BIRTHING CENTER
2183 Ocean Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11229
Phone: 718.376.6655
Fax: 718.336.4113
Email: info@brooklynbirthingcenter.com
www.brooklynbirthingcenter.com
Affiliated with: Maimonides Hospital
Affiliated Midwives:
Linda Gaglioti
Andrea Diamond
Jacklyn Lahav
Laurie Brucia
Gail Raymon
Farinaz Bakraei
Affiliated Physicians:
James Ducey, M.
Sol Neuhoff, M.D
Norma Veridiano
CENTRAL PARK MIDWIFERY
285 West End Avenue, Suite Y2
New York, NY 10023
Phone:212-531-2229
Email:centralparkmidwifery@gmail.com
Affiliated Midwives:
Elaine Keller-Duemig, CNM
Jo Zasloff, CNM
PARK SLOPE MIDWIVES
298 Seventh Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Phone: 718-499-3636
Fax: 718-788-0596
E-mail: psmidwife@aol.com
Attend Births at Methodist Hospital
Affiliated Midwives:
Anne Gudi
Jessica Goldman
Roseanne Seminara
Betsy Arnold-Leahy
Kristin Richman
Donna Pynn
BLUEBIRD MIDWIFREY
135 Union Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
Phone: 718.855.8885
Fax: 718.855.1880
Email: Cat@bluebirdmidwifrey.com
http://www.bluebirdmidwifery.com
Affiliated Midwife:
Catherine Clark CNM
CBS MIDWIFERY, INC.
103 Fifth Avenue, 3rd Fl.
(at 18th Street)
New York, NY 10003
Phone: 212-366-4699
Email: nyccnms@worldnet.att.net
Affiliated Midwives:
Barbara Sellars, CNM
Elizabeth A. Boyce, CNM
SANDY WOODS, CNM
315 West 57th Street, Suite 203
New York, NY, 10019
Phone: (212) 603-4160
Attends Births at St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital
CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION CLASSES
BKLYN BIRTH
BklynBirth offers private and group childbirth education classes covering the labor & birth process, postpartum, breastfeeding and newborn care in Brooklyn, NY.
Phone: 718-512-5002
Email: info@bklynbirth.com
Affiliated Midwives:
Amy Alpern
Sabrina Hellman
Holly White
HOME BIRTH MIDWIFERY PRACTICES
General Information on Home Birth in NY:
BALDWIN MIDWIFERY SERVICE
660 Merrick Road
Baldwin, NY 11510
Phone: (516) 223-1251
Fax: (516) 223-1394
Email: mwbreen@aol.com
Affiliated Midwife:
Jeanette Breen, CNM
CARA MUHLHAHN MIDWIFERY
646 E. 11th St. #C3
New York, NY 10009
Phone: (212) 388-1837
Fax: (212) 533-8289
Email: info@cmmidwifery.com
Affiliated Midwife:
Cara Muhlhahn C.N.M.
CLEMENTINE MIDWIFERY
311 Graham between Ainslie and Devoe
Williamsburg Brooklyn, New York 11211
Phone: (646) 519-7209
Fax: (646) 435-0674
Email: info@clementinemidwifery.com
Affiliated Midwife:
Stacey J. Rees
COMMUNITY MIDWIFERY
1622 8th Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Phone: (718) 788-0595
Email: joaniesb@gmail.com
Affiliated Midwives:
Joan Bryson
COMPLETE WOMAN MIDWIFERY, LLC
1133 Broadway, Suite 1107
New York, NY
Phone: (646) 536-3726
Cell: (973) 226-2563
Fax: (866) 859-6843
Email: askthemidwife@verizon.net
Affiliated Midwife:
Linda Perry, CM
DYEKORA SUMDA MIDWIFERY SERVICES
409 Halsey Street
Brooklyn, NY 11233
Phone: (718) 573-2432
Fax: (718) 554-0572
Email: dyekorasumda@yahoo.com
Affiliated Midwife:
- Memaniye Cinque, CNM
GENTLE SPIRIT HOME BIRTH MIDWIFERY SERVICES
525 West 133rd Street #1A
New York, NY 10027
Phone: (212) 368-2229
Fax: (212) 368-2228
Email: birthingwise2@aol.com
Affiliated Midwife:
Sakina O’Uhuru CM MS
GINA EICHENBAUM-PIKSER, CNM
Services: Intrauterine insemination as well as Well-Gyn care, including annual exams, routine bloodwork, pap smears, STI screening, and family planning/contraception counseling and prescribing.
Email:Gina@communitygyn.com
MIRIAM SCHWARZSCHILD, CNM
308 6th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Phone: (718) 369-0769
Fax: (718) 832-6845
Email: mirwife@gmail.com
JJB MIDWIFERY
136 West 81st Street Suite GF
New York, NY 10024
Services: At-home intrauterine insemination and preconception consults, as well as gyn care, annual exams for adults and teens, contraception, bloodwork, and STI testing. LGBTQ and trans friendly.
Phone: (718) 230-4789 or (212) 769-4578
Fax: (866) 593-2634
Email: jjbmidwiferyny@gmail.com
Affiliated Midwives:
Karen Jefferson, CM LM
Martine Jean-Baptiste, CNM LM
Shana Norberg, CNM LM
KRISTEN LEONARD, CNM
294 6th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Phone: (646) 290-8020
Fax: (866) 462-5909
Email: kmleonard@mac.com
MARCY PERLMAN TARDIO, CNM, LM
474 5th St. #2
Brooklyn, NY 11215
Phone: (718) 788-9131
Cell: (347) 834-4467
Fax: (718) 788-9131
Email: marcenu@verizon.net
MARTHA ROTH HOMEBIRTH MIDWIFE
66 N. Broadway #9
Nyack, NY 10960
Phone: (845) 348-8715
Fax: (845) 348-8715
Email: martharoth@mac.com
SUN RISING MIDWIFERY
Phone: (212) 348-4988
Fax: (646) 863-7141
Email: kimm.sun@gmail.com
Affiliated Midwife:
Kimm Sun
VALERIANA PASQUA-MASBACK
75 Williams Rd
Chestnut Ridge, New York 10977
Phone: (845) 426-4686
Email: valeriana@homebirthmidwifery.com
GAY FRIENDLY DOULAS IN NYC:
BIRTH DAY PRESENCE
Note: Offers childbirth education classes, pregnancy and postpartum doula services. See website for more information.
Email: doulas@birthdaypresence.net
Phone: 917-751-6579
Affiliated Doulas:
Jada Shapiro
Anna Merrill
Sharlene Aitcheson
Jessica Ammirati
Lindsey Bliss
Jen Buice
Lana DeLowe
Sara Luria
Meghan Mahar
Elanna Posner
Lorelei Russ
Meema Spadola
Koyuki Smith
Heather Snyder
Leda Ward
BIRTHFOCUS, LLC
Note: Offers full spectrum services for birth and beyond including labor and postpartum doula care, childbirth education series, private pre-natal yoga and massage, and placenta encapsulation services. A fee range of labor doula services from $400-$2200. See website for more information.
Email: birthfocus@gmail.com
Phone: 917.414.5595
Affiliated Doulas:
Elizabeth Mangum-Sarach: Director/Owner
Aliya Caler
Caitln Vestal
Caitlin Wyatt
Carmen Siragna
Enda Sperduto
Esdras Santana
Fanny Oehl
Gillian Foreman
Haley Keel
Jenn Hoegler
Jenny Shapiro
Julia Mannes
Kat Raynor
Kate Leddington
Lucy Chapin
Melissa Brown
Martina Szarek
Melissa Grubb
Rachel Rachlin
Sara Dick
Stacey Lewis
Tiffany Adams
Vivian Lord
Wendy Ledesma
BROWN OWL DOULAS
Randi Phone: (541) 601–2472
Chloe Phone: (718) 473-4189
Email: randiandchloe@gmail.com
Affiliated Doulas:
Randi Reed
Chloe Campbell
DOS DOULAS
Affiliated Doulas:
Cori Pleune
Email: cori@dosdoulas.com
Phone: 917-554-8442
Sara Kaylor
Email: sarah@dosdoulas.com
Phone: 917-612-5927
DOULA CARE POSTPARTUM SERVICE
70 West 93 Street, #20G
New York, NY 10025
Phone: (212) 749-6613
Email: hello@doulacare.com
Affiliated Doulas:
Ruth Callahan, (Owner / Director)
Lijah Friedman
Pamela Smith
Kathy Petrillo
Anne Weichberger
Alexa Beckham
Gillian Foreman
Jennifer Parmelee
Lori Becker
Kim Gambino
Mary Lynn Fiske
SHARA FREDERICK
Phone: (718) 637-1170
Email: hello@sharafrederick.com
NYC DOULA CO-OP
Note: Offers Doulas of varying experience and levels. See website for more information.
Affiliated Doulas:
Tymaree Cook
Aisha Domingue
Gillian Foreman
Nicole Ganzekaufer
Jo Greep
Milon Nagi
Adiaha Ruane
Lucy Trainor
Heather White
Maiysha Campbell
Aurore Ernest-Jones
AJ Frenzel
Maria Spencer
Jessi Bonilla
Jessie Conrad
Jamie Yates
Rina Crane
Piper Harrell
Stephanie Poplika
Tanya Wills
Megan Davidson
Shara Frederick
Annette Perel
Cori Pleune
DOULA POWER NYC
Affiliated Doulas: Zoe Ginsburg
Phone: (646) 730-5008
Email: doulapowernyc@gmail.com
RED MOON MASSAGE THERAPY & DOULA CARE
Lena DeGloma, BA, LMT, CD
641 President Street, Suite 203
Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Phone: 609.576.7638
Email: lena@redmoonmassagetherapy.com
KATE YORK
Philosophy includes assisting all families regardless of sex, gender expression, or sexual orientation in having the birth experience that they want to have.
Email:doulakateyork@gmail.com
Phone: (734) 558.8738
KATHRYN PECK
DONA-certified Brooklyn Heights Doula
Email: kathryn.rs@gmail.com
KARLA PIPPA
Birth Doula and Postpartum Services
Phone: 214-597-9210
Email: doulapippa@gmail.com
NYC DOULA SERVICES
Doula services and Childbirth Education Classes in Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Bronx and Nassau County
Lauren Kunis CD(DONA), CCCE, RMT, Certified Hypnobirthing Doula
Phone: 917-617-7905
Email: Lauren@nycdoulaservice.com
DOULA LUMINA
Full spectrum labor support and postpartum care as well as placenta encapsulation services.
Affiliated Doula: Siobhan Whalen
Email: doula.lumina@gmail.com
401 E. 64th St. Suite 5B
New York, NY 10065
TATIANA ESCOBAR
Offering full-spectrum doula care with a specialization in Homebirth & Natural Childbirth
Email: tatiana.escobar7@gmail.com
Phone: 917.808.1017
MOLLIE MICHEL
Birth Doula (DONA) and Certified Lactation Counselor
Kairos Doula Services
140 East 2nd Street, 2C
Brooklyn, NY 11218
Phone: 718.536.6336
Email: molliedoulanyc@gmail.com
RACHEL LIEBER
DONA certified birth doula and Certified Lactation Counselor
Phone: 347-371-0510
ERIKA DAVIS
Kavanah Doula
Phone: (347) 471-0739
E-Mail: kavanahdoula@gmail.com
Twitter:Blackgayjewish
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KavanahDoulaService
http://kavanahdoula.blogspot.com
THE NEW YORK DOULA
Stephanie Heintzeler
Birth and postpartum doula
Phone:917-399-2031
AMY R. LISS
Birth and Postartum Doula, Childbirth Educator, Lactation Counselor
Phone: 314.651.7524
Email: amy.liss@gmail.com
NATALIA RIVERA, LMT
Birth doula, prenatal massage therapist, Maya abdominal therapist specializing in fertility and prenatal care, and yoga instructor for babies with special needs. Located on the Upper West Side, Manhattan.
646.926.7776
If you have a recommendation for this list or would like to be listed here, please Contact Us.
