Dr. Cecilia Avila, MD

I was under Dr. Avila's care for a Mono/Di twin pregnancy. She was excellent and I grew to trust her very quickly. I can understand how some may perceive her as being very conservative, but she will advise you as she would her own daughter, advocate for your birth plans, and provide honest feedback if she feels it is necessary. I attribute the safe delivery of our children and my healthy pregnancy to her vigilance and experience.

If I could I would giver her 0 stars. Contractions at 30 weeks and admitted to hospital and she told me I had colon cancer without ever meeting me!! Then she came back to tell me I would bleed out during delivery. Horrible bedside manner!

I went to this doctor due to complications with HG. Before even introducing herself she implied that the cause of my symptoms was psychological in nature before evening examining me and refused to speak with my psychiatrist when I offered. She was dismissive and a bully. Stay far away.

So who fires their doctor at 39 weeks?? Me that’s who! I’m considered “high risk” due to being 45. I’ve worked out for years prior to getting pregnant and have had a relatively easy pregnancy with the exception of my gastric reflex. I was seeing this doctor every 5-6 weeks and didn’t notice anything until I started seeing her every week. All the sudden she became very negative saying things like “You’re not gaining weight! Do you feel any lumps or masses!” She orders labs. Next visit she says “Well you’re not HIV+”. Then she started pressing me to induce this Sunday saying “You have a high risk of having a stillborn”!! She lays me on the table manipulates my belly and says “Do you feel that contraction?” I said “no I feel you moving the baby, he’s a big baby” she goes on to say “Well you’re a big girl” and exits the room! FIRED! Every time I left her I felt like something was wrong with my baby or myself. Then I came across these reviews and found out I dodged a bullet. They really should get rid of her she’s trashing their practice.

This is my 4th pregnancy, the 3rd time being high risk. This dr has terroble bed side manner. She was very judgy over and over again about how my last baby is only 17 months old and now I'm pregnant again. She went as far as to tell me she wanted to tie my tubes during delivery. My main issue for being high risk is lack of weight gain because I had a bowel resectioning 8 years ago. Other than that I'm healthy, but she made it seem like this is the worst thing that could ever happen. I wanted to cry and will not be seeing her again, ever!

Very rude. Doesn’t speak from her area of expertise.

I went in for a sonogram with my first child. I was 23 scared and had no idea what to expect. I was excited to see my little peanut on the screen. I had the sonogram done, the technician left to go make sure she got all the images with the Dr. She came back in with Dr Avila and she started telling me that there was a bump on the back of my baby's head that goes along with multiple defects. Down syndrome, heart defects and others I can't remember. She offered me no testing just "I HIGHLY suggest that you terminate this pregnancy" And then I went numb. Not hearing anything she said. I came back a week later for an appointment I thought was to talk about other options like testing. She scheduled me to talk about TERMINATION! I HIGHLY suggest that you don't ever see Dr Avila. She has terrible bedside manner and has no regards to her patients feelings.

When other doctors told me that my pregnancy would end in a miscarriage, Dr Avila remained positive and hopeful. She explained my condition to me and always asked if I understood or had questions. She was a rock for me and I put my complete trust in her. I delivered a very healthy baby boy and she came in to the hospital specifically for me. Her experience and knowledge were unparalleled. I am forever grateful to her.

The practice Dr. Avila works for is amazing - the Doctors, nurses and Nurse Practitioners are stellar. So how this woman has managed to maintain a position within such a group of actual caring professionals, I have no idea. Not only was I misdiagnosed and filled with fear and dread when chromosomal abnormalities were mentioned based on a single sono-session (and had nothing to do with traditional markers for Trisomy diseases) but after making me wait for 2 hours after my appointment time, Dr. Avila entered the exam room and had no idea why I was there and actually had asked me to "Wait" while she went back and reviewed my reports. Her bedside manner is deplorable, she is rude and insensitive and you can tell that she has absolutely NO concern for her patients feelings. Please, do not hesitate to use Stonybrook's OBGYN team - they truly are phenomenal, caring and fantastic. Just specifically request NOT to be seen by this woman. I am 100% honest in saying that when I give birth, if she is the doctor on call for the evening, I will cross my legs and refuse to push until a different doctor, midwife, nurse or even janitor is available.

She was AWFUL.

I had a high-risk twin pregnancy so Dr. Avila was one of the doctors I saw throughout my pregnancy. She "seemed" nice, until my babies were diagnosed with Down syndrome. I was shocked and saddened by the news. I had no previous knowledge or experience with people with Down syndrome and relied on my medical team for advice...BAD IDEA! While most of them were neutral, Avila was ALL for "interruption" aka abortion. Thank goodness I sought information elsewhere and learned the truth about Ds. People with Ds lead amazing lives! With love and support they can live independently. They work, go to college, even marry! They are just like us! Via support groups and documentaries I found via the internet, I learned my children were important and deserved a chance at life, despite her gloom and doom attitude! And might I add that I am a 35 year old married woman, with previous children, a home, a college education..I NEVER asked for advice! I knew my options! But every appointment was a lecture in how I could still interrupt my pregnancy. Even after my gestation was beyond the legal limit of abortion she suggested I give my children up for adoption!! She said she knew a woman who adopted 13 children with Ds. That's when I finally put my foot down. I told her that children with Ds are a blessing and that is why that woman adopted 13 of them! I told her that I was keeping my children, NOT for religious reasons. I am pro-choice, but because I was their mother!! I loved this child unconditionally just as I did my first "typical" child. She just looked at me blankly. UGH. Fast forward to the day I delivered. I was being prepped for a c-section and heard her voice in the hallway. I asked the nurse to call her in. I wanted her to see that I was at the end of my journey and ready to birth my little miracles. She walked into the room and I greeted her. Smiling wide, I said, "Well, the babies will be here soon!" Her facial expression was almost cartoonish! It was an "Ooohhh nooo...how sad!!! Poor you!!" And without saying a word she left the room. And while I went on to have very healthy babies who are meeting milestones beyond their age I still think about how her negative attitude impacted my emotional health. I only hope that another mother who is faced with a Down syndrome diagnosis is not persuaded by a "professional" like her. I have found that many doctors are not aware the amazing potential a person with a disability has. Having antiquated ideologies is one thing, but having a NASTY and dark attitude towards disability is quite another!! She is better off being a veterinarian. I am sure she'd find great satisfaction in taking some patients out to pasture!

Meanest Dr ever. She threw me my chart and told me to read it myself. She was so condescending and rude. First thing out of her mouth was what are you doing here? It was my scheduled apt??? She spent less than 5 minutes with me, and managed to make me cry during that time. She's a high risk obgyn and I'm at severe risk of loosing my baby, I had unaddressed concerns, she didn't answer any of my questions. I felt so unsafe about my pregnancy in her care. NO bedside manners, heck NO MANNERS AT ALL. When she left my 3 year old said about her, "that's a bad guy, she was not nice." DON'T GO SEE HER!!!!!!!!!! I had to put one star to add my review, in my opinion tht was generous, she should be in the negative score...

No bedside manor. Unprofessional.

She is an outstanding dr! Always willing to help