Obstetric
What is Obstetrics?
Obstetrics largely deals with taking care of pregnant women, unborn babies, labour, delivery as well as the immediate period following childbirth. An obstetrician assures that both mother and baby get the best care and labour and delivery are fulfilled without facing any complications.
- When a woman is pregnant, many complications can occur which may require various medical procedures. These include:
- Extra Uterine Pregnancy (ECTOPIC pregnancy), a situation where the embryo is in a fallopian tube
- High-risk pregnancies including Pre-eclampsia, GDM, Gestation Hypertension
- Foetal distress caused due to compression
- Screening during pregnancy for medical situations, high blood pressure, and infections
- Early pregnancy and its difficulties
Obstetrics largely deals with taking care of pregnant women, unborn babies, labour, delivery as well as the immediate period following childbirth. An obstetrician assures that both mother and baby get the best care and labour and delivery are fulfilled without facing any complications.
- When a woman is pregnant, many complications can occur which may require various medical procedures. These include:
- Extra Uterine Pregnancy (ECTOPIC pregnancy), a situation where the embryo is in a fallopian tube
- High-risk pregnancies including Pre-eclampsia, GDM, Gestation Hypertension
- Foetal distress caused due to compression
- Screening during pregnancy for medical situations, high blood pressure, and infections
- Early pregnancy and its difficulties
What’s the difference between gynaecology and obstetrics?
Gynaecology normally means treating women who aren’t pregnant, while obstetrics deals with pregnant women and their unborn children, but there is lots of crossover between the two. For example, women may be referred to gynaecologists in the earlier stages of pregnancy, and obstetricians later in their term.
What do gynaecologists and obstetricians do?
- Laparoscopy: the diagnosis and removal of cysts and infections from the ovaries and fallopian tubes
- Cone biopsies: the removal unhealthy cells from the cervix to prevent cervical cancer
- Hysterectomies: the removal of a woman’s uterus
- Caesarean (or C) section: surgically cutting a baby out from its mother’s womb to avoid problems during labour
- Cervical sutures: using tape to strengthen a woman’s cervix to prevent miscarriages
- External cephalic version (ECV): turning the baby around in the womb so it is in the correct position for birth
Obstetricians also test foetuses for symptoms of conditions like Down’s Syndrome using ultrasound and techniques like chorionic villus sampling.