Who is an OB-GYN?
An OB-GYN is a physician (obstetrician-gynecologist) specializing in female reproductive health. They assist women in making educated choices, such as inducing or preventing pregnancy and maintaining general reproductive health. Additionally, they help make healthy decisions throughout and immediately after pregnancy. They also treat conditions and diseases of the reproductive organs.
Depending on your age and general health, you may see an OB-GYN for annual exams or particular reproductive objectives. If you are between 13 and 15 years old, you should see an OB-GYN, as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggests. You can contact them for therapy, tests, and follow-up if discomfort or other symptoms indicate a potential problem with the reproductive system or your menstrual cycle. You should inform your OB-GYN if your period has become irregular, stopped, lasted long, or the blood flow has changed.
Seeing an OB-GYN near you for an earlier evaluation is crucial if you have a family history of breast cancer or are aged more than 40 years. If you are 21 or older, you should see them for an annual pelvic exam. You should see an OB-GYN for advice on family planning and birth control. Additionally, if you notice blood in urine, a change in vaginal discharge, painful cramps, or pain while having sex, you should see them.
Education and training of an OB-GYN
To start practicing as an OB-GYN, one has to complete at least 12 years of education and training. It consists of a 4-year undergraduate degree where they must take courses related to medical sciences, such as biology, anatomy, or psychology. Following this, the candidates have to complete four years of medical school - which typically includes several internships. They also go through four years of residency, where they work under the supervision of medical professionals and obtain hands-on knowledge. After completing their residency, they must clear a certification examination from the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Exam (COMLEX) to receive their medical license. Some candidates might also need to clear a state exam before starting their practice.
An OB-GYN can choose to specialize in any of the numerous subspecialties of obstetrics-gynecology. It can take them approximately three years to complete the training for the subspecialty and clear the specialty board certification exam recognized by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
What are the subspecialties of an OB-GYN?
Often, OB-GYNs may practice as generalists, which implies that they provide a wide range of female reproductive healthcare services. However, they can also opt to specialize in one or more subspecialties:
- Gynecologic oncology (focusing on cancers in the different parts of women's reproductive system)
- Female pelvic medicine (focusing on conditions of the urinary tract and pelvic floor)
- Maternal and fetal medicine (focusing on pre and postnatal care for mothers and children)
- Critical care medicine (focusing on acute gynecological and obstetric illnesses)
- Family planning (focusing on medical termination of pregnancy, birth control, and contraception)
- Reproductive endocrinology and infertility (focusing on diagnosing problems associated with infertility and providing treatment plans).
What procedures does an OB-GYN perform?
An OB-GYN manages health during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum (the period of just giving birth). Additionally, they have extensive training to perform various procedures. Following are the procedures performed by an OB-GYN:
- Dilation and curettage: It is a procedure to remove a portion of the uterine lining with a sharp curette (an instrument used for scraping). It can diagnose uterine conditions like uterine polyps (overgrowth of tissue in the uterine lining) and uterine cancer.
- Tubal ligation: 'Tubal' refers to the fallopian tubes, and the term 'ligation' means to tie off. Tubal ligation is a surgical procedure to get tubes tied to prevent pregnancy.
- Myomectomy: This is a procedure performed to remove uterine fibroids, which are noncancerous tumors that develop in the uterus. These fibroids cause infertility, heavy menstrual bleeding, or pelvic pain.
- Amniocentesis: This procedure helps gather samples of cells and fluids from the uterus during pregnancy to detect whether the pregnancy has genetic disorders.
- Suburethral slings: A surgery that helps provide support to the pelvic organs.
- Colposcopy: Insertion of a small scope into the urethra to examine the urinary tract for treatment and diagnostic purposes.
- Adhesiolysis: Removal of scar tissues to control and mitigate pain resulting from endometriosis.
- Oophorectomy: Removal of the ovaries to lower the chances of developing cancer or to treat diseases like endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease.
What are some tips to follow for a healthy pregnancy?
A healthy body before, during, and after pregnancy involves many different aspects of your life. When planning to get pregnant, change your eating habits and include a healthy variety of foods. Start exercising as well to stay in shape while pregnant. It can lessen the risk of miscarriage and labor complications. Check out pregnancy books, conduct some online research, and educate yourself.
You can take prenatal vitamins (supplements that give necessary vitamins and minerals to pregnant women). You should avoid chemicals that could harm a developing fetus. If you visit any medical professional, inform them that you are trying to conceive to prevent exposure to harmful chemicals and tests. Additionally, avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
Tracking your cycles to determine when you ovulate and conceive would be best. Also, remember to add 300 to 500 calories daily to your diet when pregnant. Avoid cheese made from raw milk, as it may carry organisms that can harm your baby. Also, visit dentists regularly. During pregnancy, you may be at higher risk of gum disease, affecting your baby's health.
What questions should you ask your OB-GYN during different pregnancy stages?
Pregnancy can be daunting, so it is natural for you to have many questions when you plan to conceive. It is a good idea to write down all your queries and bring them up with the best OB-GYN near you. Consider adding the following crucial questions to your list:
Eight questions to ask before getting pregnant
- Am I healthy enough to have a baby?
- When should I stop contraception methods?
- How often and when should I have sex to conceive successfully?
- How long can it take to get pregnant naturally?
- When should I start taking prenatal vitamins?
- Should I make any lifestyle and diet changes to have a healthy pregnancy?
- Do I need to stop taking any medications?
- Does my partner need to make any changes, too? How will his health affect our pregnancy?
Eight questions to ask during your pregnancy
- How much weight do I need to gain?
- What should my diet include? Are there any foods I should avoid?
- What type of exercise is safe to do?
- Can I continue my usual work and personal routines?
- What pregnancy symptoms can I expect during different trimesters?
- What are some warning signs I should watch out for?
- Can I continue to have sex during my pregnancy?
- How can I prepare my body for labor and birth?
Eight questions to ask during a postpartum visit
- How long will postpartum bleeding and discharge last?
- Can you tell me about postpartum depression? What signs and symptoms should I be aware of?
- What is the right way to breastfeed?
- What should my postnatal diet include? Should I avoid any foods when I am breastfeeding?
- How can I relieve pain and swelling?
- When can I resume my exercise routine?
- What activities should I avoid during the first few weeks or months?
- When can I start having sex with my partner again?
How can alternative practices like yoga help in maintaining women’s health?
Yoga has become famous for those looking to enhance physical and mental well-being. By combining physical poses, meditation, and mindful breathing, this ancient practice can support a wide range of health goals, particularly those relevant to women. Here's a closer look at some of the many ways yoga can contribute to women's health:
Smoother PMS management
For many women, PMS is a monthly challenge, bringing physical and emotional shifts that can disrupt everyday life. Staying active in general—whether walking, jogging, or stretching—can ease these symptoms. However, yoga stands out. Yoga's focus on deep breathing and gentle stretches provides relief and balance.
Prenatal support for expecting moms
Pregnancy brings its own set of unique challenges, from back pain to anxiety and stress. Yoga can help ease these common pregnancy discomforts. If you're pregnant and considering yoga, talk to an OB-GYN near you first; they'll offer guidance tailored to your body type and specific health needs.
Relief through menopause
Menopause often comes with symptoms like night sweats and hot flashes that can disrupt life. Regular yoga practice may ease these symptoms and improve overall well-being and sexuality. Adding yoga to your routine may provide a natural way to navigate these changes quickly.
Overall strength and balance
Beyond managing specific health concerns, yoga is excellent for maintaining flexibility, balance, and bone strength, which helps prevent injuries.
How to find the best OB-GYN near you in Garden City, NY?
Finding an OB-GYN is crucial if you are expecting or considering having children. They will be a great guide throughout pregnancy and after birth. Visit them as often as necessary to ensure your pregnancy progresses safely and smoothly. However, sometimes finding the best OB-GYN near you in Garden City may take time, delaying your visit. Zocdoc aims to match the patients with the best provider possible.
On the Zocdoc account, you can search for providers based on your symptoms, preferred location and date, and insurance plan. You can also refine the search to locate providers depending on their languages, gender, hospital affiliations, and whether or not they treat children. Zocdoc displays details of each provider, like qualifications, certifications, awards, affiliations, areas of expertise, experience, and licensure.
You can easily find in-network OB-GYN specialists near you on Zocdoc by entering your insurance plan in the search bar. If your plan isn't listed, try uploading a photo of your medical insurance card (note: this feature is only available for medical insurance, not vision or dental). We'll scan the card to identify and display your likely plan. If you experience any issues uploading, reach out to our service team. For more insurance-related questions, visit Zocdoc's patient help center.
Zocdoc also displays reviews and ratings by actual patients. You can always check it out to choose the best OB-GYN near you. Once you select an OB-GYN, Zocdoc lets you book virtual and in-person appointments. All bookings on Zocdoc are easy, safe, and 100% free.
OB-GYN health statistics in Garden City, New York
The New York State Department of Health 2021 statistics note that over 16,800 New York women are diagnosed with breast cancer yearly. The American Cancer Society estimates 17,800 new breast cancer cases in New York during 2022. Additionally, about 2,460 estimated deaths can occur due to breast cancer in the same year. The breast cancer death rate from 2015-2019 was nearly 18.9%. OB-GYNs receive training in treating breast cancer; hence, they can help you detect symptoms early and get the proper treatment.
According to a report published in 2022 by the New York State Department of Health, there were approximately 216 deaths (1.8 deaths per 100,000 New York State women) from cervical cancer in 2019. OB-GYNs can detect cervical cancer with the pap test and ensure quality care and successful recovery of cervical cancer patients.
American Cancer Society's statistics estimate around 1,280 new ovarian cancer cases in New York in 2022 alone. Additionally, there were approximately 830 deaths from ovarian cancer. The fatality rate from ovarian cancer between 2015-2019 was around 6.6%. OB-GYNs have training to remove cancerous ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes surgically.
Sources
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists[1]
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists[2]
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists[3]
American College of Surgeons
Mayo Clinic[1]
Mayo Clinic[2]
Victoria Advocate
University of Colorado OB-GYN
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Verywell Family
WebMD
Healthline
New York State Department of Health[1]
New York State Department of Health[2]
American Cancer Society
Verywell Health[1]
Verywell Health[2]
University of Illinois College of Medicine
Cleveland Clinic[1]
Cleveland Clinic[2]
Virginia Physicians for Women
MedlinePlus
What To Expect
Voyage Healthcare
UnityPoint Health
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
OBGYN Health Plus
