I have written a perfect, glowing review of Dr. Poddatoori ten times, twenty times, in my head over the years. Why I have not actually written a review on Yelp, can only be attributable to the fact that Dr. Poddatoori helped bring my perfect baby into the world, and he has made me busier than I once was! Dr. Poddatoori is a rare gem - she is relatable and friendly, yet knowledgeable, whip-smart, and dives into difficult situations when they arise. I have heard a few people (and now read one as well) who have complained because they have to wait to see her. In my very humble opinion: this is your prenatal care. We are busy mommas-to-be, I totally get that. But when you only have one prenatal appointment per month, budget some time for *yourself." Sit in her comfortable waiting room, watch the babies walk by, catch up on emails, your pregnancy apps, pay bills online, etc. The facility comes equipped with wifi, and there are zillions of things you can do to spend some time relaxing and/or catching up on whatever you might need to do. If all else fails, and if Dr. Poddatoori happens to be late, consider yourself very lucky. You are about to see a doctor who actually gives a shit about her patients. Pardon me for being frank, but most of our appointments are very simple check ins. Sure, we feel important, but in the grand scheme of things, let's not take ourselves too seriously! However, If you ever find yourself in an emergency - if your pregnancy is in jeopardy - don't you want a doctor who doesn't rush through your care just so they can stay perfectly on schedule? The medical industry sees emergencies from time to time. Dr. Poddatoori has helped me through several very sensitive, urgent situations, and she does not limit me to the time I have scheduled with her. With one situation in particular, she took after-hours time, including time when she was on a well-deserved vacation with her family, to monitor my care, check in with me, and ultimately, ensure that my precious (now 16 month old) was okay. In short, I just don't have patience for people who ding a doctor for doing their job. Life doesn't fit into a 15 minute slot, and I think that is especially true with pregnancy. Dr. Poddotoori performed an Essure procedure for me many years back (non-judgmentally I might add), she then helped me during my IVF processes when I changed my mind and decided motherhood really was for me, took excellent care of me during my high-risk pregnancy, and ultimately, delivered my son with the utmost fragility and strength, all at the same time. I have the absolute fondest memories of the day that my son was born, and Dr. Poddatoori made sure our delivery was intentional, fun, sweet, and ultimately, safe. I am now pregnant with another baby through IVF, and I could not be luckier to have Dr. Poddatoori by my literal side. I think this must be a tough job, and from one hard working mom to another, I truly appreciate that mothers/professionals like Dr. Poddatoori stick with their profession, through thick and thin. read more

I strongly recommend avoiding Dr. Vineela Poddatoori. My family's experience with her was unacceptable and deeply disappointing. From the start, she was dismissive, rushed, and acted as if a C-section was the only solution. She came into our room without even checking the progress of my wife's labor, mentioning she had another emergency, and tried to push for surgery without properly evaluating the situation. When my wife was in serious pain during contractions, instead of supporting her, Dr. Poddatoori suggested lowering the epidural dose, which was shocking and completely insensitive. Even some of the nurses quietly mentioned to us that they have heard many complaints about her from other patients, which only confirmed what we were experiencing. Thankfully, I made the wise decision to request another provider's opinion. That doctor immediately reassured us that a C-section was not needed and allowed labor to continue naturally. My wife was able to deliver normally, proving how unnecessary Dr. Poddatoori's pressure for surgery was. No one should have to go through that kind of careless, rushed, and insensitive care -- especially during childbirth. For the safety and peace of mind of other families, I would strongly advise looking for another physician. read more

I wonder how many people have been traumatized by this doctor. It's been over 8 years since my delivery with her, and I'm finally ready to tell my story... From the moment she walked into the room, it was obvious my delivery wasn't progressing fast enough for her. Almost immediately, she recommended that we try to speed up the process. In doing so, I ended up with a botched vacuum extraction which led to an emergency c-section. I won't go into the gory details, but she nearly killed my child and injured me in the process as well (not to mention the mental trauma). She tried to blame nurses and all other staff for issues when in actuality, it was her poor decision-making and wrongdoing. Her lack of compassion is unbelievable, and she is the most unaccountable doctor I have ever met. She didn't stop by at all in the days following (probably because she knew she had f&$/*d up), but she had the nerve to call and check on my "daughter" and I about a week later when we were finally released home (note - I gave birth to a boy). She does not listen to her patients. She belittles them and acts like a know-it-all, and that getting things done at her speed is the only thing that matters. I'm sure she is fine if you have a quick delivery; however, if you're experiencing any sort of delay, she will make sure to cut you open to expedite the process. I'm honestly curious how many c-sections she has forced upon her patients and how many could have actually been prevented had she shown a bit of compassion and/or patience. I had an amazingly easy pregnancy and saw so many wonderful doctors along the way, and this doctor single-handedly ruined what was supposed to be one of the best experiences in my lifetime. Unfortunately for me (and it appears quite a few others), we are left with terrible memories and both physical and emotional scars. read more

Dr. Poddatoori is an EXCEPTIONAL OB. Dr. Poddatoori performed my second C-section and will now be caring for me through my third pregnancy. The C-section she performed was flawless. I recovered so well and she kept me calm and comforted through the whole procedure. Not only is she a wonderful surgeon but she also guided me through my whole pregnancy without judgment and with very useful tools to get through a super nauseous pregnancy. I feel very fortunate that I will have her through this third pregnancy, she has already come to my aid through a freakout and I look forward to having her guide me through the next 9 months. I cannot say enough about how personable, kind, understanding and smart Dr. Poddatoori is. I also really appreciate that she is a mother of 4, it feels like she really just gets it! read more

Horrible. I'm so thankful her name isn't on my baby's birth certificate. She was abrasive, rude and made me feel awful after having an intense and traumatic birth. I'm not sure why people get into these professions when they have terrible bedside manner and seem to be inept when it comes to being compassionate, especially dealing with a vulnerable, first time mom. read more

I had my daughter at Alta Bates through the Sutter network. Dr. Poddatoori admitted and discharged me from the hospital, and in both cases we perceived her to be very abrasive, not a doctor we would recommend to others. Dr Poddatoori mentioned immediately upon admitting me that I might need pitocin if my contractions didn't soon speed up. I've had pitocin before, and was theoretically fine with getting it again, but this really confused me since I'd only just been admitted and not much time had elapsed to see if things were moving along naturally. When I asked for clarification she acted annoyed and said we might need to move things along to get the baby out, "or we can have you go back home". Regardless of whether she meant it this way, this came off as a bizarre and unprompted threat, when a simple explanation would have sufficed. After the baby arrived I had a lot of hip pain but was anxious to return home because we were being disrupted constantly, and I wanted to be with my older child, who wasn't allowed to visit due to COVID. I told the doctor about the pain when being discharged and she scoffed and said, "Do you really think it's such a good idea to go home then?!", as if I were some kind of idiot. She then proceeded to aggressively lecture my husband about how I was not to do any housework or push myself too hard. Again, such a bizarrely antagonistic way to respond that I actually started crying when she left. I don't know this doctor very well, but both short interactions made me feel like a bundle of medical data instead of a multidimensional human in the midst of a major life and medical event. Dr Poddatoori if you're reading this, please learn how to approach patients more empathetically in the future. read more

Dr Poddatoori made me feel extremely uncomfortable. I saw her once and will never again. She proceeded to try to convince me to keep my IUD in, despite requesting to get it out. For 5 minutes I kept repeating that I wanted it out of my body and it seemed to upset her. That would have been fine except she proceeded to tell me, "Condoms suck. You are going to end up pregnant, watch." I do not understand how it's professional to tell patients that they will result in unwanted pregnany due to switching methods of birth control. I felt that her response was disrespectful and will not be seeing her again. I took my chances after seeing the statements below that named her "a real princess" but truly feel that is an accurate reflection of her personality. As an obgyn she should be more sensitive to the way she makes patients feel. read more

I saw Dr. Podatoori for the first time in April 2012. If you like being charged out-of-pocket medical expenses in the hundreds of dollars, then go see her. I got two bills for an ultrasound, one for $800 from Dr. Podatoori's office and one for $172 from Bay Imaging. Medical insurance didn't cover it, maybe if she coded her bills differently to my insurance it would've helped. A lot of doctors do this, as we know. I called her about the second bill for $172 and she told me it was a mistake and she would fix it for me. Long story and 6 months later they sent me to collections. I've made countless calls to Bay Imaging and Dr. Podatoori's office. Bay Imaging says Dr. Podatoori never called them. Dr. Podatoori (and her assistant) says otherwise. It's a mess, and I've been stuck in the middle, with my credit now being affected. Did I mention that in October I was taken by ambulance to the hospital for ovary-related issues? I would think that since I'd had the ultrasound with Drt. Podatoori only a few months earlier she would have seen something then. Maybe not, but I have no faith in her or her office. And for Bay Imaging, they can't prove their services, but want their money. I'm not paying for medical services I did not know was "provided" - especially since NOTHING was provided by Bay Imaging. read more

I LOVE THIS DOCTOR! I will never go to another gynecologist in my whole life if I don't have to. I went to Dr. Poddatoori for an appointment that I was very nervous about, and she could not have been more knowledgeable, informative, honest and comforting. She answered all of my questions, always looking me in the eye, and I never felt rushed. I felt like she really cared about me, and I trusted her in no time. I walked out of the office feeling like a new person. I saw her at 2999 Regent Street #301 in Berkeley. I'm not sure if she's there permanently and the Orinda address is wrong, or if she splits her time. The bottom line: if you need a new doctor, choose Dr. Poddatoori. I could not have been happier with the treatment I received from her or her nurse--even the receptionist was really friendly and helpful! read more

Dr. Poddatoori is pleasant. For that I give her one star. However, having been the patient of a procedure performed by Dr. Podatoori that resulted in a disastrous outcome I feel the need to warn other women out there. I do not wish to be too graphic - but a D&C she performed on me resulted in the fetus NOT being removed from my womb. To make matters worse, I found her handling of this most distressing situation afterwards to be immature, insensitive and evasive. She exhibits none of the character one should look for in an OBGYN. I witnessed her losing her cool with nurses, she was careless with hospital protocol and once interrupted a deeply personal conversation with me to pump breastmilk. read more

Dr. Poddatoori has been my OB/GYN for almost three years now. She was understanding and patient as I went though a high-risk pregnancy, with heart issues, fainting spells, and hyperemesis gravidarum. Toward the end of my pregnancy we realized my son was breech, and she tried very hard to turn him, even straining her wrists during an attempted ECV, and doing a second ECV on the day I was scheduled for my cesarean to try to get me the birth I wanted. Sadly, my son didn't want to turn, but she performed a quick cesarean and delivered him safely to me. She had Pat Benetar and Stevie Wonder on during my surgery, which made for a happy environment when I was very nervous. My incision healed quickly, and two years later the scar is nearly invisible. Not only do I appreciate Dr. Poddatoori's bedside manner, but she is so friendly and comfortable that my wife switched insurance plans and is now a patient, as well. We both appreciate the way she talks to us about our medical options like grown ups, and doesn't bully us into different choices, even if ours aren't what she might choose for herself (I declined to do genetic testing because family history showed me to be low-risk). As we contemplate expanding our family, a big reason I feel comfortable trying to conceive again is because I know my obstetric care will be so good. read more

Dr. Poddatorri is amazing!! I love her!! This is my third pregnancy and also my third Csection. Words could not described the outstanding experience I have had with her. I delivered my daughter yesterday via Csection. Going into surgery I was worry to death. Especially I am such a worry wart and knowing that I had a complicated pregnancy. The surgery went well. I asked her to please revised my previous Csection scar and she took the time to fix it and sutured it up real well. I felt so relaxed during my Csection and was glad my baby did not decide to appear before my schedule Csection date. Overall she is fantastic, has great bedside manner, nonjudgmental, listen and very understanding. She took the time to come visit me after her busy work and life schedule. I would recommend her in a heart beat. read more

Dr. Poddatoori is amazing. You could not ask for a more caring, knowledgeable, functional and straightforward physician. I've seen Dr. Poddatoori for years as my gynecologist and recently as my obstetrician. She got me through my pregnancy and postpartum issues, always offering pragmatic solutions and instructions with genuine empathy and diligence. She's a phenomenal doctor and I would not know what to do without her or her staff! Yelp may want to correct the spelling of her name. read more

My favorite OB and the best doctor ever! I absolutely LOVE Dr. Poddatoori and I highly recommend her to anyone looking for an OB! There are not enough words to express my gratitude for finding such a caring and attentive physician. I have a bleeding disorder, von Willebrand's Disease which made my pregnancy and delivery more complicated than most. I also had cholestasis at 35 weeks, for which I had to go to antepartum testing twice a week until I was induced at 38 weeks. Dr. Poddatoori was always very reassuring and explained every detail of the process to my husband and me without making us feel worried (I am already a high-stress person so this was extremely important to me) and she didn't use crazy jargon while answering all of our questions. Don't get me wrong- she didn't dumb us down or anything like that- she just kept it REAL! Dr. Poddatoori was so patient and comforting during my induction. Since we had built such great rapport during my pregnancy, she knew exactly how to talk to me and made sure I was comfortable with every step of the labor process. After enduring almost three days of labor, I had lost a lot of blood and had to stay a while longer in the hospital. During my stay at Alta Bates (which by the way is such a wonderful facility to have a baby) Dr. Poddatoori even came to see me and my baby on her day off! Post-partum, I have had many other issues with bleeding and needed a D&C and later was readmitted to the hospital. Dr. Poddatoori has been there every step of the way, always making sure to check on me and explain the details honestly and openly. I trust her judgement completely and feel so comforted by not only how warm and caring she is, but also by her professonalism as well as how knowledgeable she is. Dr. Poddatoori is the best and I will never go to another OB ever again. read more

Dr. Poddatoori delivered my baby girl this June. She was kind and efficient and made my pregnancy and delivery an extremely positive experience and I am so very thankful to her!!! read more

Dr. P is awesome! She's very thorough in providing information, calm and practical, looks you in the eye, and always has a smile on her face. I didn't feel rushed and she answered all my questions. She provides real, practical advice, nothing alarmist. I see her at her 2915 Telegraph office in Berkeley. When I need an appointment with her, I can get one easily so in this way it's easier to see her than Dr. A. read more

This is review for the time management. I have been waiting to see Dr. Poddatoori for more than an hour. If doctors require patients to come on time, doctors also should manage their time properly to respect us as well. read more

The below has been lodged a formal complaint and feedback to the head of the practice who apologized on behalf of the doctor but Dr Podatoori has forever made my delivery a stress and full of tears (and not because of the labor pain but because of her) to think back on and I have the duty to warn others! I first saw 2 doctors on shift who told me induction could take 2-3 days, so I was doing all the exercises and breathing, suggested methods/drugs to get active labor going. Then Dr Poddatoori took over. From the moment she introduced herself she had a rough way of speaking, like she expected everyone to listen only and she knew it all. I didn't think much of it then, as people have their quirks. She checked how far I was dilated, my file noted that I am nervous cervical exams. Dr P saw that and acknowledged it, started to check, and once she was in there, it HURT so badly, I yelled out loudly and she removed her fingers. I was wincing in pain, and she said " I don't think you have dilated more, I was trying to strip you membranes but 'you didn't let me' so I had to stop"! She had this stern tone, like it was my fault, that she wasn't able to do what she had decided to do- without telling me and asking me for my permission!! It was supposed to be a check only as that was what I was told, nothing more! A doctor cannot put their fingers inside your vagina and just try to do whatever they wanted to do, without warning. I was so shocked . After that, i started bleeding A LOT. The nurse went to mention it to Dr P and she came and had a look and just shrugged (to this day no one has explained why I started bleeding after she examined me and it never stopped till I delivered). She was just so rude and inconsiderate about every facet. No bedside manner in existence. She next came in for her rounds after that episode and saw my husband and I watching a movie on the TV in the hospital room, whilst doing my exercises on the birthing ball. My Pitocin hadn't been increased as the nurses had explained that I was contracted on top of one another. Dr P looked horrified that my Pitocin was still at the same level as the last time she came in. She said " why hasn't this nurse upped your Pitocin, who is your nurse, where is she?" She then stormed out, no explanations! She came back in a bit and I asked her why the Pitocin needed to be increased when the nurses had told me that this was protocol. Dr P went on to say " well, I have approved them going against their protocol, you can't just sit here making no progress, we have to get things going". I asked her why, since the last doctor had said it could take a few days. She said " well, you are here to have a baby (while gesturing a V shape with her hand towards her own vagina), so we have to make that happen, I don't want to come in here and see you smiling, watching a movie, we need to get going so you can have your baby!!" Then, she left apparently with instructions to the nurse to increase the Pitocin. After the left, I felt so much stress--- like maybe the baby was in distress and I should be in active labor by now.... I was holding back tears by now and the constant bleeding was freaking me out Thankfully, the amazing nurse told me I should relax and was doing all the things I should be doing already. Dr P left her shift finally! And after that things got better and less rough, in fact I had my assigned doctor by chance who delivered the baby, thankfully safe with God's grace My 34 hour induced labour was not the 1-5 hour quick 2nd child labor I had hoped for. And Dr P is the reason it was even worse, and the reason I cried during my labor. I cannot fathom how she functions. She made a patient feel at fault for no fault of theirs, pretty much yelled at us as well out rightly bad mouthed the nurses behind her back/in front of patient, and performed a procedure she had no right to without getting my permission. All of this was witnessed by my husband (and nurses on shift) at the end of last year. Both my doctor and nurses agreed that this experience was uncalled for as well. read more

I love dr.poddatoori so far. Im pregnant with baby #2 and was in search of an ob since I moved to the bay area. She's friendly, knowledgeable and doesn't rush you with your questions, great bedside manner! read more

I really do not understand why my prior review has been filtered. Apparently, it is so difficult for yelp to believe that there is such a wonderful dr. Out there, that they filter all of her glowing reviews, it is very disheartening, to say the least. Perhaps yelp does not understand that it is more helpful in choosing a healthcare provider to have more detailed information. I would greatly appreciate yelp putting my and the other reviews back on the main page so that others can find this incredible dr. read more

If I could, I would leave a 100 stars for Dr Poddatoori. She has delivered two of my babies, 6 years apart. The first one was a c-section (an emergency one), and the second a VBAC. I am generally a highly anxious, almost paranoid person when it comes to my health. Dr Poddatoori was calm, patient, reassuring and extremely warm through all these years and countless appointments. She's been available every time I needed medical attention, or even when I've had the most ridiculous 'will my baby be okay?' questions. She made herself available for my first delivery (a c-sec), and made sure the procedure wasn't nerve wracking at all! She was encouraging and even suggested VBAC at my very first appointment for my second child, and this really helped me stay positive through the nine months. The VBAC ended up being an extremely positive and memorable experience. What stands out to me apart from her warm bedside manner is her concern for moms post partum as well. She took her time to make sure I was okay at the appointment and even answered some of my breastfeeding questions - all the while remaining non judgemental and extremely encouraging of my choices as a mother. It is this kind of care that made me look forward to appointments, and I always left feeling positive. She will continue to remain my doctor for all my OB-GYN needs, and I find myself constantly recommending her to everyone who will listen! read more

Dr. P did my surgery after I had my baby and she was just so amazing . I was nervous going in but she made me feel at ease. She is so smart and such a fashionista. If you are looking for an OBGYN, you have to see her. She is so popular that her appointments are booked up for months . If you tell her wonderful staff that you would like to see her urgently, they will not make you wait and find time for you ASAP I love her and I know you will to read more

Dr. Poddatoori is wonderful. I saw several different OB/GYN's from Sutter East Bay during my pregnancy, and while they were all terrific, Dr. Poddatoori was the warmest and most compassionate. Even though my pregnancy was about as normal and average as it gets, I felt like she was very respectful and listened patiently to even my most minor complaints, and gave terrific, helpful advice. Fortunately for me, she was the on-call OB/GYN when I went into labor, and she ended up delivering my baby girl. I ended up with only a minor tear, which she stitched up in no time, and felt very little discomfort post-partum. I can't recommend her highly enough! I like all the OB/GYN's in the Telegraph office, but Dr. Poddatoori is definitely my favorite. read more

I met dr Poddatoori last year. I was disappointed by her services. I can't say she had a bad bedside manner, because she was completely absent. I posted a review before but "magically" it was completely filtered.... read more

Rudest OB/GYN I've ever encountered (and I haven't had the greatest luck with them). She was very judgmental and did not make me feel comfortable at all. "A real princess," as another person said about her. I agree. read more

Dr P is so caring. I've seen her for a few years now and she constantly puts me at ease, including with a painful in-office procedure that I really needed. She explained everything step by step. She made sure I understood what to do in terms of potential complications and reassured me that I would be fine. She was running an hour late the last time I saw her and I was miffed. But without blame or attitude, she explained that she'd done three surgeries and counseled a couple who'd just had a miscarriage. I got a window into her busy world, and it's amazing how she stays so warm and caring through all of that. I feel lucky to see her as my GYN. read more

Dr Paddatoori is the most sensitive OBY/GYN or for that matter, most sensitive doctor that I have come across. She is not just pleasant, she genuinely cares. After I had my baby, I went through a terrible phase of hyperanxiety. Her being there really helped. She is also great at all the clinical procedures. She is amazing! I absolutely recommend her she is always going to be my Gyn. read more

Dr. Poddatoori isn't my regular OB-GYN, so I've only ever encountered her at my absolute most pathetic and incoherent, and both times she was nothing but respectful, kind, and action-oriented. I first met her two days after my son's birth, when she came to discharge me while he was still in the NICU. She was so sweet that when she asked how I was doing, most likely just meaning to chitchat, I started sobbing all over about how much I wanted to be with my baby and didn't want to go home, and she promptly sent down the NICU social worker, who secured a space for me one of the coveted NICU parent rooms. About a week or so later I needed to see someone about the nasty bladder infection I developed post-birth and my regular OB wasn't available, and I was thrilled to see Dr. Poddatoori again instead. Despite my totally flubbing the urinalysis instructions (in my defense, I had a newborn), she was warm, unhurried and compassionate. She's a mom of little ones herself (at the time she had a 4-month-old) and really relates to you as a mother, which was invaluable in those early postpartum days when I felt completely overwhelmed. read more

having recently moved from another state and expecting our first, we were super-anxious about finding the right doctor. and boy, we are glad we found dr. poddatoori!! she's very knowledgeable, has great bedside manners, but the best thing about her is she listens to you and gives you all the time and attention to make you comfortable. read more

Dr. Poddatoori was amazing. I was soo lucky to find her. I found out I was pregnant 6 weeks into it and was finally able to find insurance that would cover me when I was 12 weeks pregnant. My first consultation was amazing. She was just as excited as I was and had an amazing amount of patience dealing with myself, my passing out fiance & my nosy mother. Unfortunately due to insurance issues, I wasn't able to see her again until I was well into my 2nd trimester. I work at a doctor's office and I can only imagine how frustrating it is to try to keep an expecting mother & her fetus healthy if they let so much time pass between appointments. Luckily, Dr. Poddatoori was very understanding. She still continued to see and treat my unborn daughter & I. I was even lucky enough to have her deliver my princess. I couldn't thank Dr. Poddatoori enough. She is a wonderful person and one of my favorite doctors ever. read more