A lot of women in Los Angeles pick the hospital first. And it’s easy to see why Cedars-Sinai is often the choice. Nearly 7,000 babies are born there every year, more than at any other hospital in Los Angeles. In U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals 2026–27, Cedars-Sinai made the national Honor Roll for the 11th year in a row and tied for #1 in California and Los Angeles. Its Obstetrics & Gynecology program ranked #1 in Los Angeles.
But here’s what surprises many first-time parents: the hospital doesn’t choose your doctor. You do.
Cedars-Sinai provides the labor and delivery rooms, the nurses, the anesthesiologists and the NICU (newborn intensive care unit). Your OB/GYN is the person you’ll see for nine months, who makes the decisions about your labor, and who, ideally, is in the room when your baby arrives.
So if you’ve decided on Cedars-Sinai, the more important decision is still ahead. Here’s how to make it well.
How delivering at Cedars-Sinai actually works
To deliver your baby at Cedars-Sinai, your OB/GYN must hold delivery privileges there. Privileges are the hospital’s formal approval for a doctor to admit patients and perform deliveries and surgeries on site. Not every OB in Los Angeles has them, so this is the first thing to confirm.
It also helps to know that your prenatal care usually doesn’t happen at the hospital. It happens in your doctor’s own office, which may be on the Cedars-Sinai campus or somewhere nearby. You go to the hospital when you’re in labor, for a scheduled induction or C-section, or if something urgent comes up.
That’s how it works at Yunella. Our office is at 6330 San Vicente Boulevard, a short drive from the hospital, and Dr. David Seil Kim delivers his patients at Cedars-Sinai. He holds both delivery and surgical privileges there, and spent 15 years teaching OB/GYN residents at Cedars-Sinai. He also delivers at CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center.
8 things to look for in a Cedars-Sinai OB/GYN
1. Confirmed delivery privileges at Cedars-Sinai
Ask directly: “Do you deliver at Cedars-Sinai?” You can also check the hospital’s Find a Doctor directory. If an OB says they’re “affiliated” but not that they deliver there, ask what that means.
2. Who will actually deliver your baby
This is the question most people forget, and it matters most. In many large practices, doctors take turns covering nights and weekends. You might see one doctor for months, then be delivered by someone you’ve never met.
Ask: “How often do you personally deliver your own patients?” At Yunella, Dr. Kim attends his own patients’ deliveries in nearly every case. On the rare occasion he can’t, a trusted physician he has already briefed on your pregnancy steps in.
3. Experience you can verify
Look for board certification (the letters FACOG mean a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), years in practice, and how many deliveries the doctor has done. Dr. Kim has delivered well over 7,000 babies and was named a Los Angeles Magazine Top Doctor in 2020–2024 and 2026.
4. How they approach labor decisions
Every OB has a philosophy, and it’s worth hearing theirs before you’re in labor. Ask how they think about:
- Induction. Dr. Kim usually recommends a planned induction at 39 weeks, and explains why in detail.
- C-sections. When do they recommend one, and how do they avoid unnecessary ones?
- VBAC (vaginal birth after a previous C-section). Some OBs won’t attempt one. Dr. Kim is experienced in VBAC and supports it whenever it’s safe for you and your baby.
- Pain relief. When can you get an epidural? With an induction at Yunella, an epidural is available as soon as Pitocin (the medication that starts contractions) is started.
5. How ultrasounds and testing are handled
Ask who performs your ultrasounds and how often. Some offices scan only at set points and use a technician. Dr. Kim performs an ultrasound himself at every prenatal visit.
Also ask which maternal-fetal medicine (high-risk pregnancy) specialists they work with. Our NT scan and 20-week anatomy scan are done with the Center for Fetal Medicine, right next door to our office. If your pregnancy is considered high-risk, read High-Risk Pregnancy: Do You Need a Specialist, or an OB Who Works With One?
6. How you reach them between visits
Pregnancy questions don’t keep office hours. Ask who answers when you call, and how quickly. Do you reach your doctor, a nurse line, or an answering service? In our Concierge Maternity Experience, patients have direct access to Dr. Kim from enrollment until six weeks after birth.
7. How billing works, for the doctor and the hospital
Your OB and Cedars-Sinai bill separately. Check that both work with your insurance, and ask what you’ll owe out of pocket. Our Insurance & Payment page explains how this works at Yunella.
8. Whether the office feels right
You’ll visit your OB’s office more than a dozen times. Is it easy to get to and park? Are your partner or family welcome at appointments? Do you leave visits feeling heard? Those things add up over nine months.
Want to see how our patients felt? Watch Tessa’s story or read our patient reviews.
When should you choose your OB?
As early as you can, ideally in the first trimester. Early prenatal visits set up your due date, first screenings, and the relationship you’ll lean on later. Some practices with limited space fill up, so it helps not to wait.
If you’re already pregnant with another doctor and things don’t feel right, it’s not too late to look around. A second opinion can help you decide.
Getting to know Cedars-Sinai
Once your OB is in place, Cedars-Sinai offers childbirth and parenting classes and virtual maternity tours. They’re a great way to see where you’ll deliver and to feel more prepared for the big day.
The bottom line
Cedars-Sinai is a world-class place to have a baby. But the experience you have there depends heavily on the doctor you choose. Look for someone who delivers there, who will be there for your delivery, and who takes the time to know you.
If you’d like to meet Dr. Kim and learn how our Concierge Maternity Experience works, book a consultation or call (424) 404-8832. For a deeper look at the differences, read Is Concierge OB Care Worth It in Los Angeles? and Concierge Maternity Care vs. a Hospital OB-GYN Department.
Medically reviewed by David Seil Kim, MD, PhD, MBA, FACOG · Last reviewed: October 21st, 2026