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Obstetrician-gynecologist

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 23.11.2021
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Obstetrician-gynecologist - specialist on problems of conception, gestation and birth. The doctor of this specialization helps in matters of pregnancy planning, observes a woman during the period of gestation and after the appearance of the baby.

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Who is an obstetrician-gynecologist?

The main task of the centers of obstetrics and gynecology is the preservation or restoration of the normal functioning of the female reproductive system. On the question: "Who is an obstetrician-gynecologist?" There is an unequivocal answer - this is a medical worker, responsible for the health of the future child and his mother.

Obstetricians-gynecologists fulfill an important role - extending life on Earth. Confirm the onset of pregnancy should this particular specialist, despite all sorts of tests and manifestations of external signs of pregnancy.

The main obstetrician-gynecologist is called a doctor who helps a woman in the process of giving birth. It is very important to have a trusting relationship with the doctor, the first seeing and taking into your hands your child.

When should I go to an obstetrician-gynecologist?

List of problems and symptoms when it is necessary to contact an obstetrician-gynecologist: 

  • monthly did not begin at the age of 15; 
  • menstruation is accompanied by a strong pain syndrome; 
  • the duration of menstruation is more than 7 days, the monthly period is characterized by heavy bleeding, there was a bloody discharge in another period; 
  • when itching, burning, abdominal pain (especially the bottom), as well as discharge with an unpleasant odor; 
  • there is soreness in coition, accompanied by signs of respiratory disease; 
  • monthly stopped with regular sexual activity; 
  • There were no last three menstruation for abstinence from intimacy; 
  • burning with urination; 
  • Changes in the genital area - abrasions, roughness, convex neoplasms, etc., have been detected.

What tests do I need to take when I contact an obstetrician-gynecologist?

In case of confirmation of pregnancy, a laboratory examination should be performed to exclude infectious diseases, any disorders and pathologies. It is best when both parents prepare in advance for conception - they pass tests, undergo appropriate treatment.

What tests should I take when I contact an obstetrician-gynecologist: 

  • analyzes for infectious diseases; 
  • Studies that determine the presence of antibodies to viruses / bacteria; 
  • Analyzes that determine infections that spread during sexual contact (chlamydia, mycoplasma, etc.); 
  • conclusion on the state of the endocrine system; 
  • hormonal and genetic research; 
  • a general blood / urine test; 
  • blood test for biochemistry; 
  • immunological study.

What diagnostic methods does the obstetrician-gynecologist use?

You need to visit a gynecologist every year (preferably twice a year), even if there are no complaints. The course of certain diseases, often occurs without significant symptoms. This may concern tumors and diseases of an infectious nature.

During the initial examination, the specialist conducts a survey using a gynecological mirror, takes necessary strokes. During the consultation, the obstetrician-gynecologist will ask about the menstrual cycle, sexual intercourse, the presence of pain, and also the nature of the discharge.

What diagnostic methods does the obstetrician-gynecologist use to detect the pathology of the cervix? First, a method of palpation is used to exclude inflammation in the uterus and appendages. Secondly, a gynecologist uses a colposcope to detect / study erosion and dysplasia of the cervix. Thirdly, if necessary, ultrasound is also diagnosed for the uterus, ovaries, and mammary glands.

What does an obstetrician-gynecologist do?

Scope of the obstetrician-gynecologist: 

  • identification and treatment of gynecological diseases of specific / non-specific etiology; 
  • resolution of problems with the menstrual cycle, including hormonal disorders; 
  • diagnosis of pregnancy, including ectopic pregnancy; 
  • Observation of the physiological and pathological (with a number of complications) course of pregnancy; 
  • obstetrics; 
  • carrying out preventive examinations aimed at detecting asymptomatic diseases (erosion, dysplasia, etc.); 
  • treatment of infertility; 
  • Diagnosis and administration of therapeutic effects in tumoral processes of benign or malignant nature.

I would like to note that the gynecologist-endocrinologist is not included in the list of medical specializations. The study of changes in the hormonal background is part of the duties of what the obstetrician-gynecologist is doing.

What diseases are treated by an obstetrician-gynecologist?

Timely diagnosis and use of therapeutic effects on the source of inflammatory diseases of the female genital area is the most important task of the obstetrician-gynecologist.

Inflammatory processes in etiology are divided into: 

  • specific - for example, chlamydia, ureaplasmosis; 
  • nonspecific - thrush, colpitis, adnexitis, cervicitis.

One of the most common diseases, like inflammation of the appendages, with inappropriate treatment can cause infertility. Therefore, the obstetrician-gynecologist should be a real expert, constantly upgrading his skills and studying the latest trends in obstetrics and gynecology.

In addition to infections spread through sexual intercourse, what kind of illness does the obstetrician-gynecologist treat? In the department of this specialist are the following diseases: 

  • diseases of the cervix (the presence of polyps, erosion, etc.); 
  • salpingitis (inflammatory process in the fallopian tubes); 
  • endometritis (lesion of the inner shell of the uterus) / endometriosis (a condition in which the inner layer of the uterus expands outwards);
  • uterine myoma; 
  • ovarian cyst.

Tips of a obstetrician-gynecologist for a note

Recommendations of an obstetrician-gynecologist concern, first of all, the issue of conception planning. In the course of pregnancy, illnesses can become acute or become manifest. Therefore, before conception, it is necessary to visit a number of specialists, take tests, prepare the body for bearing the baby with preventive, purifying and therapeutic methods.

General advice of a obstetrician-gynecologist: 

  • future parents need to consult a therapist who can detect a number of diseases and send them to a specialist to solve the problem; 
  • if you have a chronic illness requiring regular medication, you should find out what medicinal substances can be used while waiting for the baby; 
  • be sure to undergo an examination at the dentist - during the gestation it is forbidden to do x-rays, and the presence of caries can serve as a source of infection in the body; 
  • consultation with an ophthalmologist is necessary - with progressing myopia obstetrician-gynecologists recommend using Caesarean section; 
  • in the presence of genetic diseases, a visit to a geneticist is required; 
  • examination of a gynecologist - for a woman, and for a man - an andrologist.

These specialists will help to eliminate all obstacles on the way of conception. Future parents will be confident in their health, which will have a beneficial effect on the development of pregnancy and the physical condition of the newborn.

Obstetrician-gynecologist will necessarily check hemoglobin level, if necessary, prescribe iron-containing substances before pregnancy. Spouses are also advised to undergo a fluorography. A woman, if she was not sick with rubella, it is better to get vaccinated. A few months from the day of vaccination, you can plan a pregnancy.

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