Ricci Stephine, MD

It has taken me a long time to be even able to write this. I lost my baby son at 15 weeks due to Dr Riccis and her triage nurse negligence towards me and repeated refusals to even let me have an appointment to come and see a Dr when I was in desperate pain and begging for help!
I begged the nurse on the phone day after day, that I was not feeling well and I had begun to bleed. She was always abrupt, rude and uncaring — and kept saying if I was bleeding there was nothing they could do and to go to ER. She did not want to know — and kept fobbing me off… So i did. Twice! I went to HOAG ER. They told me they could not see any cause for the bleeding and my baby was well — and that I needed to see my OB for further investigations !! And to be seen immediately! Even when speaking to the practices on call Dr on the phone over several nights — they said to get an appointment to be seen immediately the next day! But would the nurse let me have an appointment. NO! Go to the hospital!
We can do nothing to help you!!!
Well, in fact they could have saved my baby if they had seen me — I lost him to an undiagnosed UTI Infection. Had SOMEONE at the practice agreed to see a desperate woman — in pain and tears — some simple antibiotics could have saved my son!!!
But — it went on — and I bled and in pain — until my body pushed him into my vaginal passage. I called my family Dr and begged her for help and she called an OB that I had never seen and told him that I desperately needed some help! He agreed to see me– even though he had no duty of care towards me. It was too late — he was dead.
I then had to sit in the ER waiting room for 3 hours at the HOAG hospital — to have him taken out. After this u was put through an unnecessary D&C… I was not in a fit state to understand??? Why would I need this??? The ER Dr had already taken out my baby boy??? Why to make some $$$ !!!
I have been broken hearted for 2 years and I will never forgive them for what they did!
I look back and cannot believe that a DR would refuse to see her desperate patient!
Why do we have OB’s if all they are going to tell you to do is go to ER when things are looking like something is wrong???
To make it worse — in 15 weeks — DR Ricci had not even seen me! I would go for my appointments — wait 1.5 — 2 hours over my appointment times — only to be told that I’d have to wait even longer to see her but could see her PA instead!
Had they seen me — done a simple urine test and listened to my symptoms — my son would be here! I hope you are all happy with yourselves!

I am amazed to see any negative reviews about Dr Ricci. She delivered my first son and was amazing through the entire experience and pregnancy. Caring, real, thorough, and much more. I went to another doctor down the road just because Dr Ricci moved to Newport and that was a bit far but after one visit to new OB, ran back to Dr Ricci. And am back in good caring hands. Highly recommended.

I’m 16 weeks pregnant and after having a horrible experience with another doctor I switched over to Dr. Ricci. The office (kind of hard to get a hold of) got me in three days later. Dr. Ricci was so efficient going over every procedure, she really made me feel comfortable and excited about my pregnancy. I would highly recommend her despite the long waits in the office. The waiting time is irrelevant when it comes to the caliber of care you receive from this woman.

Dr Ricci is very nice, but the office makes you wait 45 – 90 minutes every visit. Then, you feel rushed during the appointment. I would recommend if waiting a long time for a 4 minute interaction won’t phase you.