Get a Second Opinion on Your High-Risk Pregnancy

Los Angeles maternal-fetal medicine expert Dr. Steve Rad is available for in-person and virtual second opinion consults. Getting a second opinion from Dr. Rad — a highly specialized and nationally known expert in obstetrics, maternal-fetal medicine (perinatology), and high-risk pregnancies — gives parents-to-be extra confidence in their medical decisions.

What is a second opinion?

In the realm of healthcare, a second opinion refers to the proactive decision by a patient to consult another medical expert or specialist after receiving an initial diagnosis or treatment plan.

By opting for a second opinion, you open doors to fresh perspectives and insights into your health. The second doctor will carefully examine your medical history and offer their own expert interpretation of your condition, diagnosis, or treatment plan. Moreover, they may present alternative treatment options than those recommended by your primary healthcare provider.

Doctors are usually very comfortable with a patient’s decision to get a second opinion. In fact, you might find that your current doctor will refer you to a specialist or encourage you to see another doctor before you even ask.

Why might you want a doctor’s second opinion about a high-risk pregnancy?

A second opinion offers a patient or couple more comfort about the mother and baby’s healthcare. Often, those having a risky pregnancy or those in a high-risk category who are considering becoming pregnant, turn to Dr. Rad after visiting their primary care doctor or obstetrician.

Proactive decision-making allows expectant parents to be more thoroughly informed about their condition and treatment options.

Tips for successfully finding the right doctor for your high-risk pregnancy second opinion

Below are some key points to consider when seeking a second opinion:

Finding a provider

If you are unable to work with Dr. Rad and don’t have a recommendation from your current healthcare provider, look for a specialist in your area with experience in your condition.

It’s important to check the track record of potential providers. Look for indicators of high-quality care, such as positive patient outcomes, involvement in research programs that contribute to the development of new treatments, and patient reviews.

Checking insurance coverage

Check with your insurance provider to understand the extent of your coverage. Your insurance provider may also have a search function to find specialists that accept your insurance.

Scheduling the appointment

When requesting your appointment, confirm that the specialist has ample experience in treating your specific condition or concern. This ensures that you’ll be consulting with an expert who is knowledgeable about your medical needs.

Call (844) 473-6100 or click here to schedule online

Gathering your medical records

Prepare for the appointment by gathering all relevant medical records, including copies of scans, exams, previous treatment details, blood tests, and pathology slides. Having these records readily available will help the new specialist gain a comprehensive understanding of your medical history.

Clarify your expectations

Clearly communicate your goals and expectations for seeking a second opinion. Are you seeking confirmation that your current treatment recommendation is appropriate for you? Or are you interested in exploring alternative options?

Communicating with the doctor

During your consultation with the new specialist, explain why you’re seeking a second opinion and clearly articulate your primary needs for the visit. This will help the specialist provide focused recommendations and address any specific concerns you may have.

This is also your opportunity to see if the specialist is a good fit for you and takes your concerns seriously.

Planning for your next steps

Consider your plan for next steps after receiving the second opinion. Determine whether you need to transfer your care to the new specialist to pursue the recommended treatment options. Alternatively, assess whether the treatment plan can be communicated to your original doctor for ongoing care.

Remember, seeking a second opinion is your right as a patient and can provide valuable insights and peace of mind. We hope that these guidelines help you can navigate the second-opinion process more effectively and make informed decisions about your healthcare.

Considering a second opinion about your pregnancy? Talk to Dr. Rad

Perinatologist Dr. Rad and his world-class Maternal-Fetal Medicine team at Los Angeles Fetal and Maternal Care Center understand your pregnancy and infertility needs before, during, and after birth.

If you are not in the Los Angeles area, that’s not a problem. Dr. Rad offers second-opinion consultations to patients worldwide.

We provide compassionate care and help you understand your pregnancy, answer your questions, and provide the emotional support needed safely navigate your pregnancy.

Dr. Rad is currently accepting new patients. Call us at (844) 473-6100 or schedule your consultation online.

We are conveniently located for patients throughout Southern California and the Los Angeles area at locations in or near Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Newport Beach, Irvine, and Downtown Los Angeles. We also offer in-home prenatal care and a fly-in program for out-of-town and international patients. Dr. Rad even travels to patients who need him throughout the U.S. and around the world.

If you can’t make it to Dr. Rad, he also offers virtual consultations worldwide.

Call (844) 473-6100 or click here to schedule online

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For some reason, even though I started my pregnancy as a “low risk” patient, I had a weird feeling that I wanted a doctor with more experience than most. I am so glad that I did & that I chose Dr. Rad because he ended up keeping our baby Rocko & I completely safe through various intense & unexpected complications. He is the best MFM that there is. Dr. Rad will be my doctor for any future babies I have & will always be my go to recommendation for any women I know. I trust him with my life & my family’s life. We are forever thankful!

Chelsea Williams

Dr Rad & his team are like a big family that you get wrapped up into with warm open arms, big smiles, calm demeanor’s, extensive knowledge, comfort and 24/7 care. After 5 1/2 years of trying to get pregnant naturally & 2 weeks shy of starting IVF, my husband & I found out that God gave us a gift and we were pregnant naturally! We knew we wanted to be extra careful and find the right doctor. After seeing a Doc at 9 weeks that we didn’t like, I started the late night hunt for an OBGYN in our area and came across Dr. Rad. I put in an online request and then ended up calling the next day thinking he would have the longest waiting list and/or they may be pretentious or not call back but I was mistaken! The girl who answered the phone assured me someone would call me back within 24hrs, well within 15 mins Alyssa called me back and we clicked! She got us in the very next day. After meeting Dr Rad and his team we never considered another doctor. It is night and day different than any other care I’ve ever encountered. Doctor Rad is not only an expert in his field, he’s a special person inside & out. He never stops wanting to learn, to do the best for his patients and expand his Knowledge, Practice and Care in his field. I wish more doctors would take a card from his deck & learn from him. We need more people like him in this world. He not only finds time in his busy schedule to take care of you like you’re his only patient but he finds time to mentor and teach residents. I’ve become very fond of some of them, Sally & Jen always take the best care of me, making every visit enjoyable, fun & such a good experience. Even though there were so many reasons I could of found to let my anxieties get the best of me during this pregnancy, I found solace and comfort knowing I was genuinely and thoroughly being cared for and watched out for, both myself and my baby. I feel like it was a big part of the reason I was able to have such a good, healthy pregnancy, It was such a gift and I really I loved every minute of it. Even in hard times, painful times or ones that were unknown, I felt so blessed to be experiencing the gift I so long prayed for. Even though I was high risk there were some requests I had that I was worried wouldn’t be listened to or accepted by a high risk doctor but once I finally gave in to discussing my thoughts and desires for labor, I was pleasantly relieved at the support and listening that I found in Dr Rad. He does listen & he will honor what you want as long as the baby and mom are safe & healthy. It’s not just his way or the highway, it’s a collaborative process for your desired outcome. I can’t express how much I appreciate him for that. My labor & delivery was not entirely like I had planned but it was an overall great experience and an eventful one. Dr Rad had something come up that conflicted with my original due date but we were able to work through it and he made it to the hospital to be there to deliver our beautiful baby girl. He didn’t just waltz in at the 4th quarter with 4 minutes remaining, he actually was there from when I was about 6-7cm dilated, he was hands on, very involved, and watching over the baby and me like a hawk. I had some issues with my epidural but I felt safe during the process and so grateful for him watching over us and helping advocate for me when I was in the depths of labor, knowing what was best for me and my desired outcome. I truly believe my calm & positive pregnancy led me to a strong and happy labor that has brought us a very happy, peaceful little girl. Some say how you feel, how happy, sad or angry you are during your pregnancy and labor impacts how your little one will be. I don’t know if it’s true or not but anything you can do to make most of your pregnancy even if it’s tough will impact you for the journey from inception, to labor,to postpartum. Today I’m 4 weeks postpartum and I’m still in his care as he makes sure I’m healing well, mentally healthy and our little girl is thriving. I will definitely be seeing him again if we are blessed with a 2nd baby one day.

Jeanette L

I can’t say enough positive things about my experience with Dr Rad and his whole office. After a traumatic and devastating full term loss in my first pregnancy, I found Dr Rad for my next pregnancy and have never felt more safe and well taken care of. His knowledge, precision, compassion and expertise gave me and my husband peace of mind throughout the whole journey. We are beyond grateful that Dr Rad brought our healthy baby boy safely into this world, and that we felt so supported and cared for along the way. He truly gave us our rainbow.

Elizabeth Hoy

Wow, where do I begin!!! Dr. Rad and his team are freaking amazing. Once I found out I was pregnant I wanted to see the doctor right away and no one would see me until I was 6 weeks. Not Dr. Rad he saw me @ 3w6d. I had a previous still born and he asked all the right questions and provided all the right care. I had 24/7 access to him and his team through our group text. Brittany, Laurice and Alysa are amazing; with me being the first patient of the rainbow clinic I definitely felt the love and care every step of the way! My delivery was a breeze and so was my postpartum. With me being high risk they made making it to the end a breeze. They care even more once the baby gets here!!!! We are family now, they are all invited to the cookout. 💕

Yaz Wilson

Dr Rad is the best doctor in the world. Not only is his care, phenomenal, he is a great person with a good heart. I feel safe with his standard of care. He takes so much time in looking at our son and it makes me feel good. I hope to run into Dr. Rad once we find out about our next pregnancy, since I look forward to seeing him again. Also, the sonographer, Britney is the best!

Navid Barahmand

Dr. Rad has been so helpful and thorough! I went to him to get clearance to proceed with IVF. He connected me with all the necessary specialists and made it a priority to get me to a place where I am ready for the next step. He is attentive, caring, and an expert in what he does. I felt taken care of, heard, and supported on this phase of my journey. Aside from his own expertise for high risk pregnancies, he has a vast network of other medical colleagues (Endocrinologists, cardiologists, etc) that gave me the insight on what I needed. Dr. Rad is the one to go to! Run, don’t walk!

Lindsay T

The reason why we are having a beautiful family right now is all thanks to Dr. Rad. He saved my life, and helped me deliver my very first child safely and peacefully. Last year, I found out I might have miscarriage and was referred to Dr. Rad. Sadly I did indeed have a miscarriage but he also discovered a large cyst growing in one of my ovaries which was potentially highly dangerous that no other doctor was able to notice it before. He helped me to get through the challenging time and made sure I recovered perfectly. This year, I found I was pregnant again and I was so happy to reach out to Dr. Rad right away. He and his fantastic team Brittany, Alysa, Laurice, Eva and everyone there were all my favorite. They are very thoughtful, skillful, kind and they made us feel comfortable and enjoyed getting ready to be a parent. He always dedicated his time to each of his patients and made sure he is on top of his patients and baby’s situation and walked us through every detail. We always communicated with him when we had questions Dr. Rad and his team took away all our worries and concerns. We highly recommend Dr. Rad to everyone. We love our baby and are excited to share our wonderful experience here. Anyone who is looking for a great loving and caring doctor, we proudly recommend him. Thank you very much Dr. Rad from the bottom of our hearts for letting us have the most magical time of our life.

Chika Saito

Dr. Rad is really a caring and detailed doctor. After one of my ultrasounds we called his office to make an appointment to investigate further. He took his time and meticulously checked everything out only to assure us everything was ok. His follow up and care is unparalleled!

Jen Nour

If I could give more stars to Dr. Rad, I definitely would. He took the best care of my mom during her pregnancy from a-z. I was at every appointment/check up and we always left with a smile on our faces. Their office is like a family and they treat you as apart of them. We were able to reach Dr. Rad at any hour, any day of the week which put our hearts to ease. Him and his team would always make sure to send us a text making sure everything was okay. Once my mom gave birth to my baby sister, Dr. Rad saw her in his office twice to make sure mom’s health was doing well and he always wants to see pictures of the baby which makes our heart warm! I want to say thank you to Dr. Steve Rad and his team for such an amazing experience. I highly recommend him to everyone!

Ruzanna Galoyan

I love Dr Rad and his entire team! Such a good experience through my entire pregnancy. Each visit, I was made to feel so comfortable and taken care of. Dr Rad makes sure you know the care is authentic and personalized and it is! The waits can be long but it’s always worth it - visits are thorough and personal and so caring. Dr. Rad is brilliant and has a great sense of humor, as well as a way of making you feel so comfortable - even in very stressful moments. I trust Dr Rad and his whole team immensely too - navigating challenges from insurance Qs to complications, they are on it. Shelley, Laurice, Brittany and everyone else was such a key part of what was a high stakes milestone event in my life. So grateful! ♥️

Jess Mack

my experience with Dr.Rad and staff was so wonderful during my pregnancy🩷🩷 the entire staff from Alysa booking my appointments always so sweet to the best ultrasound tech Brittany & the front desk girls🤍to of course the number 1 Dr ever! Dr.Rad. The best part was that I was in contact directly with Dr.Rad anything I needed I was able to get a hold of him directly, just over all my visits were always so nice they made me feel very comfortable. Truly the best care I experienced during this wonderful journey❤️

Nelva Arzate

Dr Rad and team are the blueprint for medical care. They are kind, empathetic, professional, and make my visits as comfortable as possible. I had a few health complications postpartum after a challenging but healthy and safe birth and Dr Rad was there every step of the way for the five months it took me to return to “normal”. He is an excellent doctor and I wouldn’t trust anyone else.

Ashley J

Dr. Rad and his team are unparalleled. They put so much time, care, and love into what they do. We were referred to Dr. Rad and we never looked back ! In hindsight we realized we were just another number with our previous OB (mostly office staff) at another well known medical facility in LA, near a University within the state of California. He was extremely attentive and caring throughout my pregnancy going above and beyond for literally each office visit, my delivery, and diligently post delivery. Dr. Rad has such a calm and genuine presence that brings so much comfort through what can be an extremely uncomfortable and challenging experience. He takes the time to be a doctor and the time to be a person that you will come to know and love as a human. A rare gem in today's medical field. The world of medicine (and beyond) needs more Dr. Rad's in it.

Nani M

As a husband and now father of two, let me tell all you dads and future dads out there that taking your baby mama to Dr. Rad will be the biggest blessing to your family. You will pay the max for parking BUT you will more than offset its value with all the good Starburst flavors he has. It's a win-win that you are getting extra care, extra love, and extra attention. He is a genuine and sweet guy with excellent bedside manners. His staff is excellent and care as much as he does. It's really is a culture of caring and love they got going on there. I'd almost have a 3rd just bc I know we have the support from Dr. Rad and his team.

David Morowati

Dr. Rad and his team took such great care of me throughout my pregnancy. His thoroughness during each ultrasound made me feel so confident that our baby was thriving and his professionalism and wonderful demeanour made office visits — even the long ones — so much fun. He, Brittany and all the wonderful team made us feel like we were in the best hands (which we definitely were). He also has the most relaxing and uplifting medical office I have ever been in and treats his patients like family. He was a beacon of support before, during and after the birth of our daughter and I can easily say I will stick with him when we have another baby.

India Irving

I had such a pleasant experience here thanks to the staff. Everyone is so wonderful but Maddie in particular really stood out. She was knowledgeable and professional but also warm and sweet. This is an exactly what you want in a health care professional. I felt so comfortable asking her any question and trusted her answers. She really made such a huge difference for me during my pregnancy. Thank you Maddie!

Laura Camilia

Dr.Rad was my first call when I found out I was pregnant with quads! He has a calm and confident demeanor but underneath that, he’s calculating every single potential complication and making sure to prevent it. Best staff too. Money well spent!

Sara Kahen Kashani

Dr. Rad is a phenomenal physician! He is compassionate, kind, and has wonderful bedside manners. He performed ultrasounds for all my high-risk pregnancies and delivered my last baby. I have always felt confident that my babies had the best care possible. All of my concerns were addressed at my appointments and I even had my 'dream' VBAC birth thanks to his support and delivery. I couldn't have wished for a better experience in his office or in the delivery room! His staff is just as dedicated and caring! Brittany has performed ultrasounds for two of my babies and has become somewhat of a mini Dr. Rad herself. She is thorough, efficient, and kind. Laurice is a pleasure to see first thing when stepping into the office. She has always been sure to address my administrative concerns and goes above and beyond with her assistance. Alysa is also very kind and was closely involved in my prenatal experience, ensuring I had everything scheduled and felt supported emotionally, physically and even administratively. Overall, I'm beyond grateful for Dr. Rad and his team. They're deeply caring, and dedicated people. I recommend his services to all of my close friends and family. I hope that more birthing people can experience the pleasure of having Dr. Rad as their OBGYN.

Stephanie Bustillo

Dr. Rad is an exceptional physician. Under the care of a different provider, my first child was born at 32 weeks gestation. She was then in the NICU for 67 days. My husband and I were concerned about the well being of our second child, but Dr. Rad has calmed our fears. He accepted me as a patient at the start of this pregnancy and has monitored me closely with visits every other week. We are expected to go full term with this pregnancy. Dr. Rad's team is also great. His main assistant and sonographer, Brittany, is extremely knowledgeable and efficient. Mady, another sonographer, is helpful and holds my one-year-old daughter throughout my entire exam and keeps her happy! We are grateful for the care Dr. Rad and his team have provided and would recommend his services to anyone.

Spencer Anderson

Dr Rad and his staff are wonderful. They were such a positive part of our parenthood journey. Being first-time parents, we had lots of questions and Dr Rad and his staff always thoroughly explained everything to us. While the wait is sometimes long, we found it was always because Dr Rad was managing an emergency situation or delivering difficult news to a patient, which understandably, was his first priority. The staff also always communicated proactively with us about wait-time so we knew what was going on. I joked on our last visit that I’m going to have to have another baby just so we can all hang out more 🙂

Sara Williams

What is a second opinion?

Why might you want a doctor’s second opinion about a high-risk pregnancy?