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Scenario B: GP

Watch the GP discuss the topic of weight and fertility with his patient, Elise.
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4.3
DOCTOR: And what can I do for you today, Elise?
6.9
ELISE: Well, I came in to talk about the possibility of starting IVF.
10.9
DOCTOR: IVF?
11.6
ELISE: Mm-hmm.
12.2
DOCTOR: OK, that’s a big decision. What’s brought this about?
16.5
ELISE: Well, my husband Peter and I, we’ve been trying for the past two years to get pregnant. I mean, we’ve been doing all the right things. I started taking those multivitamins for pregnancy, but nothing happened. And now, two years on, we still don’t have a baby.
31.8
DOCTOR: Two years is a long time. That must be hard.
34
ELISE: Mm-hmm.
34.8
DOCTOR: There’s a couple of other questions, if you don’t mind, that I really feel are important to ask just so we can be sure to give you the best chance of becoming pregnant and having a healthy baby. Is that OK?
46.9
ELISE: Yeah, that’s fine. There’s a lot of research that shows that food and nutrition can be helpful when trying to become pregnant. Is it OK to discuss this?
58.5
ELISE: OK.
59.3
DOCTOR: It might even help if you do decide to pursue IVF.
62.1
ELISE: OK.
63.9
DOCTOR: So I noticed that you’re under a lot of stress right now. And I think you said before that you’re feeling anxious. Now some people find that these sort of emotions affect the sort of foods we eat. Has this happened with you?
78.7
ELISE: Well, I guess so. I mean, I used to be a size 12 a few years ago, and now I’m a size 16. So, yep, it probably does.
87.4
DOCTOR: Would you mind jumping on the scales for me?
89.6
ELISE: I hate weighing myself.
91.2
DOCTOR: Yeah, OK, I understand it can be uncomfortable, but monitoring our weight’s a really important part of looking after our overall health. So can you give us a hand?
101.4
ELISE: OK, all right.
102.4
DOCTOR: Thanks. The reason I needed to measure your heart and weight is that we know that women who have healthy weight, have higher rates of fertility. This might be something you want to consider to increase your chances of becoming pregnant.
115.4
ELISE: So are you saying the reason I haven’t been able to get pregnant is because of my weight.
119.5
DOCTOR: Oh, not at all, no. There could be another reason. There might be lots of other reasons. One in six couples have trouble getting pregnant, and often it’s not just one single thing. Now I can see by your weight and your height that you have a BMI of 29, which is on the higher end of the overweight range. Are you aware of the risks of being overweight when you fall pregnant.
143.5
ELISE: No.
145.3
DOCTOR: Are you confident in managing your weight in planning for this pregnancy?
150.1
ELISE: Oh, no, I’ve got no idea.
152.3
DOCTOR: Yeah, that’s OK. Look, if you like, what I can do is I can give you a referral to a dietitian. Now dietitians are the experts in food and nutrition. And they’ll be able to give you lots of helpful tips on how to manage your weight and increase your chances of having a baby.
167.3
ELISE: That’d be great.

Watch the GP discuss the topic of weight and fertility with his patient, Elise.

While you’re watching the scenario, reflect on his approach to the consultation with Elise, and note any aspects you think could be improved.

To help guide your reflection, go to Downloads to access a Consultation analysis template which you can complete while watching the scenario.

Talking point

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This content is taken from
Monash University online course,

Food as Medicine: Fertility and Pregnancy

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  • How does the GP’s consultation style in this scenario compare to the style used in Scenario: A?

  • Does he work through the three phases of consultation that were described in Scenario A: Nurse and how does his approach reflect that of the nurse?

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This content is taken from Monash University online course
Food as Medicine: Fertility and Pregnancy
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