Re: Looking For OBGYN
I LOVE Dr Amy Huibonhoa (pronounced Wee Bon Wah). She is absolutely wonderful. She is actually located in Berkeley which is out of your criteria but she is worth the extra drive. I live in Alameda and am more than happy to drive to berkeley for her. I just had my first baby and she made it the most wonderful experience. I now miss seeing her and all the girls in the office. She is kind, gentle and very patient. She answers all my questions thoroughly and takes as much time as needed. I always feel like I'm the only patient she has. I know that isn't true but she never rushed through our appointment just to get to the next patient. The girls in the office are great as well and are very good at scheduling her appointments because I've never waited more than 10-15 mins. for her. She has a lot of patients but you would never know it. I really can't say enough about her. Good Luck! Lynette

Re: Need female OB GYN
At the risk of making my OB/GYN busier, I will say I love Amy Huibonhoa, and I know others who also love her. She's very smart, very straightforward, and very personable, but she still manages to be professional, mostly on time with her appointments, competent, etc. I don't know if she's taking new patients, or if she is, how long your wait will be for her first appointment, but she's very available to her existing patients. She's also very thoughtful about issues that may be somewhat complex or don't have a straightforward, black & white answer. That said, my second choice, when I was looking for a doctor 5 yrs ago, was Jill Foley. I wasn't as nuts about the practice, which seemed to run late when I went there, but you would have more choices of doctors within the practice. As it happened, Dr. Foley was the doctor on call when I delivered my baby, and she was great in the delivery room! She's also smart and personable, but I don't really know anything about the day-to-day of the practice since it was 5 yrs ago when I checked it out.

Re: Looking for a great East Bay OB GYN
Dr. Huibonhoa from Berkeley is simply marvelous. She has great energy and exudes tons of confidence. Her office staff and Tahira (the NP) are great too. She was my OB/GYN for my first baby delivered in January. She helped me thru the entire delivery process and was a huge strength. She's very prompt about returning calls and once called me at 8.30pm as she knew I was anxious about a particular test. I think she gets really booked up, but you can always see Tahira initially. Son

I'm looking for information from people who have had an surgery experience with Dr. Amy Huibonhoa. I decided to have the myomectomy to remove a large fibroids. She is an excellent OB/GYN doctor but I would like to know more about her surgery skills. I'd really appreciate if you can share your experince if you had a myomectomy with Dr. Huibonhoa. Or any other Dr. in Berkeley. Thanks! F.

One thing that Dr. Huibonhoa cannot control is your anesthesia experience. I will recommend STRONGLY that you follow all the recommendations (don't eat or drink anything, for example, on the day of the surgery). In your pre-surgery appointment they will emphasize this (and also not taking any aspirin or ibuprofen for a week prior, and no FISH OIL! All these things can cause bleeding.) Prior to your surgery the nurse will ask if you've had anything to eat or drink. If you have, they are likely to reschedule your surgery. Not worth the trouble. I've had two different surgeries for two different issues, and both times someone else in the pre-op room will say, well yeah, I just ate a little bit, and they have to reschedule. It's really dumb.

Also, the post-op room will offer you Vicodin. I strongly recommend against it. If you have pain, it will be minimal, and the Vicodin can make you very, very nauseated. I didn't take any vicodin with my fibroid removal, and I was fine right away (I might have taken some tylenol, but I don't really remember any pain.) Remember you have nothing in your stomach, and the nausea can be horrible. for my other surgery I had some pain, and I didn't think twice when they offered me vicodin, and I was nauseated for more than 24 hours. I also find it helpful to bring some water with me. The post-op nurses don't realize how unbelievably thirsty you can be, and you have to keep asking for water.

Anyway, Dr. Huibonhoa is great. Don't worry.

Re: OB GYN in Berkeley or North Oakland?
I have two recommendations to make. The first does not meet your location requirements as his office is in Lafayette, but he is an excellent OB-GYN. His name is Kurt Wharton, and I saw him for both of my pregnancies in Berkeley. I should mention that I am a surgeon, so it is very difficult for me to find a physician for myself who I trust so much that I can truly be a patient with him and not second guess what he is recommending. Dr Wharton answered all my questions and I felt well cared for throughout both pregnancies. He is also now in solo practice, so he is the only physician you will see in the office. His office number is (925) 962-0002.

If you want a woman OB-GYN in Berkeley, I also recommend Amy Huibonhua. She is a young, smart woman who actually delivered my last baby (he came fast before Dr. Wharton arrived) and she is also a wonderful doctor. I have jointly cared for patients with her and respect her greatly. Her number is:(510) 204-0965.

Both Dr. Wharton and Dr. Huibonhua deliver babies at Alta Bates. They are also part of a larger on call schedule combining multiple groups of OB-GYNs, but that is something that I believe all of the OB-GYNs is the area participate in. Hope this helps. Welcome to the neighborhood Elizabeth

Re: Gynecologist for annual check-up
I have a great OB/Gyn -- her name is Dr. Amy Huibonhoa. She is very competent, friendly, and understanding. Her office is next to Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley. Phone: 204-0965. She's delivered several of my friends' babies and done surgeries on two other friends. We all think she's great and wouldn't see anyone else. It can take a while to get an annual appointment with her, but you can usually get in to see her nurse practitioner who is also very good.

Re: OB/GYN for VBAC in East Bay area
Alta Bates allows VBACs. I had a VBAC delivery there in May. My OB is Amy Huibonhoa and, in my case, she was supportive. amg

Re: New primary care provider and a new gynecologist
Try Amy Huibonhua. She's in Berkeley. She is a lovely person, and a very good doctor. anon

Re: Seeking a More Personal ObGyn Practice
Dr. Amy Huibonhoa is my OB. She practices in Berkeley, is extremely competent, has an excellent bedside manner, and is also very warm and personable. She seems to know patients by name and personally calls back with test results, etc. She remembers facts from prior conversations that make me feel like she takes a genuine interest in her patients!

Her former partner, Dr. Brooks, delivered my first child and after his departure, I was very happy that Dr. Huibonhoa was taking his old patients. I have a few friends that have also used her for their deliveries and they have had nothing but positive things to say about her. There are also quite a few glowing recommendations for her on this website.

She is non-Kaiser and her office is on Regent Street, right behind Alta Bates. The number is 204-0965. Jodi

Re: Hill Physicians Woman OB/GYN
I used a midwife for my son's birth after my OB moved away, but now I'm with Amy Huibonua in Berkeley (across the street from Alta Bates) and I love her. She is extremely nice, down to earth, and direct, and is who I will definitely use for my next baby. sl

I'be been to a great gynocologist that I found through the Parent's Digest. Her name is Dr. Huibonhua. She's friendly, sensitive and very knowledgeable, I think. Toby

regarding an ObGyn for miscarriage ...

(on Regent St right near Alta Bates). My Doula (Linda Jones-Mixon, who has been a doula in Berkeley for many years) highly recommended her after I decided to switch Dr.s (was seeing Dr. Kanwit) at about 3 months into my pregnancy. Dr. Huibonhua is extremely responsive, returns calls quickly, and is warm & caring. She is young but not yet cynical or burned out (according to my doula). I believe that if you are a pregnant a Dr. has to accept you as a new patient (not sure why but I am pretty sure that they can't turn you away). Ruth

I should say, though, while my pregnancy was problemmatic, I'm not sure I would call it high risk. So, I can't speak to high risk pregnancy issues. But, I do know that I receive excellent care from both of these two men. Hope this helps. Jeanette

I 'd like to add my two cents' worth about OMNI Ob/Gyn. I saw Amy Huibonhoa for my last pregnancy and was VERY happy with the care I received. It's true that Amy is young and does not have the years of experience that Brooks and Streitfield (at the same practice) have, but the flip side of the coin is that she has not had years to become jaded with her career or impersonal with her patients. She treated me with respect, called me at home to check on my emotional and physical well-being after I had had a scare, was incredibly patient and good-humored with the 2 1/2 year old who tagged along at all my prenatal visits... I can't say enough good things about her. I felt very, very lucky to have found her.