Elaine Y. Chien, MD

I miss Elaine like crazy! She is an amazing dr, one you can really connect with and trust, however she’s no longer practicing at the women’s care clinic. Elaine, I miss you, haven’t found anyone as awesome to replace you. :(

JUST FOR EVERYONE’S INFORMATION: I called Dr. Chien’s office and learned that she is no longer practicing medicine. I was so sad to hear that!

Its been 2 n half years since my delivery and i have a beautiful daughter now. My pregnancy was great and what made the experience even more memorable is having someone like Dr Chien as my doctor. I used to love my doctor visits, and the moment one was over would wait for the next one… having a doctor like Chien, makes you love the doctors office… I used to be so excited about meeting her. She is extremely caring, knowledgeable, friendly and yet very prompt and professional… I was strongly hoping to have a normal delivery and thanks to Dr Chien… I Did… She gave me all the time and ample opportunities to push!.. No I’m not embarrassed to say this. but I have pushed for close to 2 hours and she waited patiently constantly monitoring mine and my baby’s heart rate to make sure everything was ok… Thank you Dr Chien for a wonderful experience… She is without any doubts/​questions going to be my doctor for all my future visits!

Simply an amazing doctor– she showed such incredible compassion and care throughout my pregnancy/​postpartum visuts and amazingly, remembered every little detaiI about what was going on with me! I can’t thank her enough for helping me to bring my little boy into the world :) She made me feel so comfortable and at each appointment, as other reviewers have said, she never makes one feel rushed. She truly is a gem, one of a kind!

Updating my review for Dr. Chien… she truly is awesome. I came in a few months ago and saw a NP that was assisting her and my follow up appointment was with Dr. Chien. She went over previous items and gave me a much needed referral. She cares about not only her patients, but cares for their entire well being. Even though it was more than a year since the last visit, she remembered me and remembered personal details.
I still highly recommend Dr. Chien and this clinic!

I really like the Women’s Clinic and Dr. Chien is a fabulous doctor. Unfortunately, because the clinic is so busy, I was often not able to see her. I would estimate that 30 — 40% of my visits ended up being with other doctors, and that includes my delivery. I am very happy with the doctor who delivered my baby (I am guessing most of the doctors at the WC are good), but have been pretty frustrated by last-​minute cancellations. I understand that it’s the nature of the business, but I think it’s better to know about in advance.

I’ve been wanting to write this review for the past 10’ish months, but selfishly waited until my baby was born to make sure that Dr. Chien didn’t somehow get flooded with new patients and not be able to see me. Sorry fellow Unilocalers!
Dr. Chien is without a doubt the best doctor of any kind that I’ve ever seen. Period. Throughout my entire pregnancy (including pre-​pregnancy when we met with her to plan babies and also to pick a doctor) we have had no negative experiences. Every single appointment was not only informative, assuring, emotional (confirming pregnancy, hearing baby’s heartbeat, seeing her tiny limbs) but it was also FUN, which I think is unheard of for an ob/​gyn appointment.
My husband and I went to almost every single appointment together, and each time we went through a long list of questions big and small (some were downright silly now that I think of them) but Dr. Chien answered each one patiently and with excellent information. She not only said yes/​no/​etc. but she also explained WHY. She spoke to us like intelligent people, and we wound up learning a lot along the way. She never ever made us feel like we were taking up too much of her time, never gave body language that said ‘sheesh i’m busy, hurry it up’, and never headed for the door until she knew we had everything answered.
Dr. Chien listens, remembers, and takes a lot of care and consideration with her patients. She will listen to what you want but will not compromise medical care for your preferences. I had only one complication, and I tried to talk my way out of situation or make excuses and Dr. Chien listened then firmly said ‘no, this is what’s happening.’ I took an hour to be upset, then realized that she was 100% correct. I look back now and realize that Dr. Chien’s one firm NO wound up making me a happier, healthier person and with a very healthy happy baby. If she had wavered, given in, let me bumble along a little longer, or not noticed the problem I’m not sure that I could make the same claim.
Important: please keep in mind that pregnancy and labor are extremely variable. You can’t say ‘I had a good pregnancy and quick labor therefore the doctor did a good job’ just as you can’t BLAME the doctor if your labor is long, if you wind up with a c-​section, or if things don’t turn out as you had hoped. What I can say is that Dr. Chien is smart, attentive, and caring but firm when needed, and will provide you with the best outcome possible. Also, just because you don’t see your doctor during labor doesn’t mean she isn’t ‘there’…the standard practice as I understand from family and friends and my own experience is that the nurses are excellently caring for you in person, but that the Dr. is calling the shots from the phone and comes in at the end. If you want someone there holding your hand the entire time, you’re looking for a birth coach or doula, not a doctor. I had my partner (husband), the excellent nursing staff at Sequoia, and knowing Dr. Chien was ‘there’ calling the shots and physically there at the end.
Now, if you’re looking to have a baby and live nearby, go see Dr. Chien… but don’t clog up her calendar since we already know we’ll be going to her with baby number 2 (not quite yet though!).

I can’t say enough good things about Dr. Chien. From my pre-​conception appointment with her to my post-​natal follow up exams, she has been amazing. What really separates her from other doctors is her that she is fully present with her patients. During appointments, she always sits down, looks directly at you and truly wants to hear your concerns. And she has great answers too! I never feel rushed even though I know she is extremely busy (one warning: this does make her run late most of the time). Also, she has two young children of her own and can offer current, practical parenting advice.
I can’t imagine going through pregnancy or childbirth without her!

The BEST! She is calm & compassionate, but most of all, she treats you as if you were her only patient. I formed a very special bond with Dr. Chien and can’t wait to try for baby #2 and go back. HOWEVER, if you are not someone who likes to be told exactly ‘how it is’ she is not for you. She is truly transparent.
Office staff = prompt, friendly, always willing to accommodate.
Just referred our best friends to her and they are already raving about her.

5 starts aren’t enough. I had my son about two months ago and I’m so happy dr. Chien was the one to deliver him. She took care of me throughout the whole pregnancy and although I had mixed feelings at the beginning, I absolutely loved her and couldn’t be happier with her. She’s very down to earth, has great sense of humor and is an amazing doctor. I knew I was in good hands the whole time. First time pregnancy and delivery is a very stressful thing, but I couldn’t have imagined a better experience. If I ever have another baby I’ll be going back to dr Chien for sure. I can’t recommend her enough.

Dr. Chien is extremely caring and compassionate. I met Dr. Chien in the ER at Sequoia hospital, not the ideal situation. Even in extreme pain she was able to calm my fears. When I woke up from surgery she was standing right next to me letting me know that my baby was okay. I became a high risk pregnancy for the remainder of my pregnancy and had many appointments with Dr. Chien. She was consistently helpful and patient and always gave her full attention to me during my appointments. It would be difficult to find another doctor as wonderful as Dr. Chien.
Even with ALL of the babies that Dr. Chien has delivered, she made me feel as if my pregnancy was very special. Unfortunately she was on maternity leave when I delivered my baby but if I was going to have another baby I would definitely see Dr. Chien! She makes me want to have more kids!
You could not ask for any better care for you and your baby!

Dr. Chien saw me once when my OB was out of town and had to miss my appointment. While I’m perfectly happy with my current OB at the same clinic, I wished I had had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Chien prior to the start of my pregnancy. I would’ve absolutely requested her instead of having the nurse randomly assign me to a doctor there. (Luckily, she’s great.)
Dr. Chien seemed very considerate and knowledgeable. She took plenty of time to examine me and go over my concerns. Best of all, she made me feel 100% comfortable and relaxed despite the fact that it was my first time seeing her. Observing that I was suffering from itchy skin (a minor case of puppps), she sent me to get a secondary blood test done, prescribed more meds, and told me to contact her anytime if I had more questions or needed more guidance while my OB was gone. I could tell she truly meant it.
For those looking for a new OB or gyno, Dr. Elaine Chien is definitely recommended!

Dr. Chien was definitely a 5-​star doctor all throughout my pregnancy. We had a long conversation about what I was hoping for during labor & delivery and relieved a lot of my fears. This was my second pregnancy and the L&D went so much better because I trusted my doctor this time. I had refused a last ultrasound and she was nice enough not to insist, although it turns out I should have gone since the 7 lb. baby we were expecting turned out to be 9 pounds! Ah, well. I was in good hands, no episiotomy made for a fairly easy recovery. Thanks again, Dr. Chien! I would absolutely recommend her to anyone, but if you are the kind of person who has lots of questions, she won’t ever make you feel like you are taking up too much of her time.

Based off both personal recommendations and also some of the feedback on this site, we decided to speak with Dr. Chien. We found her to be capable, knowledgeable, and caring — as pleasant an experience as we could have had with a doctor. It’s worth noting this pregnancy was my wife’s first, as as such we were both a bit nervous about the whole experience. Despite a heavy workload, Dr Chien went out of her way to encourage us to ask anything and everything we needed to, which over time gave us the confidence newly minted parents so very much need. The office staff is terrific to boot.
One final thought — it occurs to us that some doctors are new at what they do and make rookie mistakes. Others are more seasoned and have seen it all, which leads to a little bit of a dismissive nature towards new parents’ concerns. Then there’s that rare breed in the middle — have seen plenty but still take the time to get to know the patient and their needs, be they medical or emotional. If that’s what you’re looking for, Dr Chien is as good a choice as you can make. Despite moving more than 30 minutes away, we’re still planning on keeping her. She’s that good.

I’d like to share with readers how happy I am to have Dr. Chien as my doctor. She’s as good as it gets! Dr. Chien is extremely knowledgeable and is also very caring and personable at the same time. I’ve been with Dr. Chien for a couple of years now, and she has assisted me with my first pregnancy and delivery. It’s wonderful to have a doctor who truly cares about her patients, a doctor who takes her time to answer questions instead of rushing patients out of her office. I highly recommend!

Due to great Unilocal reviews, I chose to come see Dr. Chien for my annual check-​up. Although I’m not ready to have babies right away, I do want to be prepared in the future and I heard that Sequoia Hospital is a wonderful place to do so and Dr. Chien delivers there. I was actually shocked to hear so many bad stories about Stanford.
Dr. Chien was so easy to talk to and encouraged my million questions, answering each of them thoroughly. She’s also had a baby herself so she knows what expectant mothers are going through!
I would definitely recommend Dr. Chien if you’re looking for an ob/​gyn.

Dr. Chien has made my pregnany a very pleasant and positive experience. The first doctor (a doctor located in SF who already has a laundry list of negative reviews on Unilocal) I saw who was referred to me by my primary had me scared and dreading my pregnancy. Dr. Chien was the exact opposite and I look forward to my visits with her. She has that rare combination of really knowing her stuff yet is very personable and down-​to-​earth. I feel very fortunate to have found Dr. Chien (via Unilocal) and have no worries about having the delivery in her very capable hands. It is such an unbelievable relief knowing that I do not have to second guess her knowledge and can ask her anything without fear of judgement or negativity. Thanks Dr. Chien!

I found Dr. Chien on Unilocal and she is as great as what the other reviewers had wrote. I acquired my prior OB by default and never really connected with him. I decided to search for a new OB and Dr Chien looked really good on paper — undergrad and med school at a top university — Northwestern University, Chicago; residency at USC. I was a bit nervous to see her since I was more afraid that she would not live up to what I expected. I found Dr. Chien to be very warm, friendly and very thorough and knowledgeable. I feel very lucky to have found her.

Dr. Chien was recommended to me by my PCP Dr. Mejia in San Carlos. I had a good experience. She was kind and considerate.
The staff in the hospital was a bit cold though. Lacked compassion.

Dr. Chien is more than I ever would have hoped for in a doctor. At our initial appointment after changing doctors in the seventh month of my pregnancy, Dr. Chien sat with us and reviewed my entire chart, and discussed our concerns in detail. She was direct and very enjoyable to talk with.
**edit** 9÷20÷07
Dr. Chien continues to be a 5 star Doctor. Due to some preterm labor worries, I was on bed-​rest for a week and a half. Dr. Chien really amazed me with her attention and care. Her treatment was very focused to be aggressive where it needed to be, but never felt like it was going too far. She called me personally several times, and even came to the phone to talk to me if she was not with a patient when I called in. She always encourages me to ask questions and discuss my treatment options, which helped me feel somewhat in control during a scary time for us. She continues to sit with us and talk over our concerns, and never makes us feel rushed. We are VERY happy and lucky to have her as our doctor.
**edit** 1÷7÷08
I delivered a healthy baby with a great deal of assistance from Dr. Chien. I needed a c-​section, and I felt totally safe and confident that my baby was in good hands. My only complaint about being her patient is that is has absolutely ruined other doctors for us. No one can top her! She is wonderful, and I can not recommend her highly enough.