Choosing a Gynaecologist for Your Pregnancy in Morocco: The Right Criteria

The test is positive, and straight away comes the question: who should you see? The doctor who has done your smear tests for years, your sister's gynaecologist, the one at the clinic down the road? Choosing a gynaecologist for a pregnancy is not just choosing a doctor. It is choosing the person who will accompany you for nine months, and often the place where you will give birth.

Word of mouth is a good starting point, but it does not answer the questions that matter most: who will be there on the night of the birth, how the doctor explains their decisions, how much the follow-up will cost. Here are the criteria to look at, the questions to ask from the first appointment and the signals that should make you think twice.

Where to start: the place of birth

The first criterion is often the most overlooked: where does your gynaecologist deliver babies? In the private sector, the gynaecologist generally follows the pregnancy in their practice and delivers their patients at one or more clinics they work with. Choosing the doctor therefore often means choosing the maternity unit as well.

Ask the question frankly, then check whether that maternity unit suits you: a neonatal unit, an anaesthetist available at night, the room, a companion allowed. All these criteria are covered in our guide to choosing your clinic or hospital for the birth. If you already know where you want to give birth, the logic is reversed: ask the maternity unit which gynaecologists work there.

Pregnancy care can also take place in the public sector, at a health centre or in hospital, with doctors and midwives. The birth is then handled by the on-call team. Ask at the health centre in your neighbourhood.

Availability and on-call cover: who will be there on the day?

An excellent doctor who cannot be reached will not help you at 3 a.m. Ask them:

• how to reach them if you are worried between appointments (practice phone, messaging, hours);
• whether they deliver their own patients, including at night and at weekends;
• who replaces them during holidays, or if they are already in the delivery room;
• what you should do if your waters break or you have contractions before you have been able to reach them.

An honest answer such as "if I'm on holiday, it's the colleague on call at the clinic" is nothing to worry about. What should alert you is vagueness.

Listening and explanations: the criterion you won't see on a nameplate

A good gynaecologist explains what they are doing and why. Quebec's Mieux vivre guide points out that you can ask for an explanation of every test and examination offered, look at your file, and even seek a second professional opinion. These are healthy reflexes, not mistrust.

The first appointment says a lot: were you given time to ask your questions? Did you understand the plan for the coming months? Did you feel judged on your weight, your age or your choices? In the United Kingdom, this first pregnancy appointment lasts about an hour, according to the NHS. A ten-minute consultation where nobody looks at you is not inevitable.

The pace of follow-up and scans

The World Health Organization recommends at least 8 antenatal contacts: the first in the first 12 weeks, then at around 20, 26, 30, 34, 36, 38 and 40 weeks. It also recommends one ultrasound scan before 24 weeks, to date the pregnancy and detect certain anomalies or twins. In Quebec, Mieux vivre describes a similar pace: one appointment every 4 to 6 weeks until 30 weeks, then closer together, and every week from 37 weeks.

Sometimes the gynaecologist does a scan at every visit, in the practice. That is not a problem in itself, but ask what each one is for and how much it costs. The three key scans and what they show are explained in our article on pregnancy scans, and the very first appointment in the one on the first month of pregnancy.

Fees, insurer agreements and AMO: ask from the start

Better to talk about money early than to discover the bill in the eighth month. Ask the receptionist:

• the price of the consultation, with and without a scan;
• whether the doctor has an agreement with your health insurer;
• the expected amount for the full follow-up and for the birth, if they deliver, distinguishing vaginal birth and caesarean;
• what is paid to the doctor and what is paid to the clinic.

Remember one principle: the AMO (Morocco's compulsory health insurance) reimbursement is calculated on a national reference rate, not on the price actually paid. Some clinics with insurer agreements also let you pay only the amount left for you to cover. This is the rule in force in October 2026, to be checked with your insurance fund or top-up insurer. Our article on a baby's budget in the first year helps you plan for the rest.

Questions to ask at the first appointment

As well as on-call cover and fees, these questions will tell you a lot about how they work:

1. What is your view on vaginal birth, and in which cases do you suggest a caesarean?
2. Is an epidural available at any hour at the clinic where you deliver?
3. Do you work with a midwife for antenatal classes?
4. What do you think of a birth plan, and when can we discuss it?
5. Can I have a copy of my test and scan results each time?

The first question matters in Morocco. In an opinion piece published by TelQuel in 2026, an obstetrician-gynaecologist pointed out that, according to CNOPS data, the caesarean rate in the private-practice sector rose from 35% in 2006 to 61% in 2017, while specifying that these figures cannot be extended to the whole private sector. A doctor who explains their criteria, and takes your wishes seriously, is a good sign. To put those wishes into words, see our guide to the birth plan.

Warning signs, and the right to change

Some behaviour justifies getting another opinion:

• tests or procedures done without warning you or explaining;
• questions brushed aside, or answers that make you feel stupid;
• a caesarean announced early, without a clear medical reason;
• a doctor impossible to reach, with no back-up arrangement;
• results that you are refused.

You can change gynaecologist at any point in your pregnancy. Ask for a full copy of your file: scans, test results, blood group, reports. Ideally, make the change before the end of the eighth month, so the new team knows you before the big day, when the hospital bag is already packed.