Who is an OB-GYN?
An OB-GYN is a healthcare professional specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. They focus entirely on women's health issues like menstruation, childbirth, menopause, etc. While some OB-GYNs provide a wide range of general health services like primary care providers, others specialize in the female reproductive system.
As obstetricians, OB-GYNs provide medical and surgical care before and during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. Gynecologists diagnose, treat, and care for issues related to the vagina, breasts, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries.
OB-GYNs can handle vaginal and cesarean section births, fertility treatments, and NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) patients. They can provide reproductive wellness checks and treatment for uterine conditions, STIs (sexually transmitted diseases), and urinary tract problems.
What kind of education and training do OB-GYNs receive?
To become an OB-GYN, students must graduate with chemistry, biology, and mathematics as their majors. After graduation, they must enroll in a medical school where they study and train for four years. Students spend the first two years learning theory in classrooms and laboratories. The following two years involve practical training. During this time, students learn to diagnose and treat illnesses in medical settings, such as hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities, under the supervision of seasoned doctors and specialists.
On finishing medical school, students receive a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or a Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) degree. After this, they must do a four to five-year residency in obstetrics and gynecology, depending on the specialty chosen. Following this, OB-GYNs can become board-certified by clearing an American Board of Internal Medicine examination. They must also attend a state-level licensure examination before they begin practicing.
While some OB-GYNs begin practicing after their residency, others prefer to specialize in one of the various subspecialties of gynecology and obstetrics.
What are some subspecialties in obstetrics and gynecology?
About 90% of OB-GYNs are generalists. However, some prefer to specialize in a particular area. There are various recognized subspecialties for OB-GYNs, such as:
- Female pelvic medicine is a specialized field that offers medical and surgical care to women experiencing pelvic floor disorders. When the pelvic floor becomes weak due to age, pregnancy, or medical conditions, it can lead to bladder pain, urinary or fecal incontinence, an overactive bladder, vaginal or urinary tract infections, or pelvic organ prolapse. This specialty deals with the treatment of all these issues.
- Gynecologic oncology involves providing the best possible treatment for patients with gynecologic cancers. It includes cancers of the vulva, uterus, ovaries, and cervix.
- Critical care medicine is concerned with treating injured and critically ill patients.
- Complex family planning: This subspecialty focuses on family planning and women with complicated pregnancy conditions.
- Hospice and palliative medicine: Hospice and palliative medicine attempts to optimize the life quality and reduce the suffering of patients with life-limiting illnesses.
- Reproductive endocrinology and infertility: This subspecialty involves treating hormonal dysfunctions and fertility issues. Specialists in this field can perform procedures such as embryo transfer, in vitro fertilization, zygote intrafallopian transfer, and gamete intrafallopian transfer.
- Maternal-fetal medicine focuses on the mother's and baby's health concerns and complications during pregnancy. Specialists in this field can help pregnant women with issues such as blood clotting disorders, chronic or gestational high blood pressure, and gestational diabetes. They can also help with premature labor.
What procedures do OB-GYNs perform?
When it comes to women's health, obstetricians and gynecologists (OB-GYNs) play a vital role, offering a wide range of medical procedures to ensure the well-being of their patients. These highly-trained medical professionals are equipped to perform various surgeries and manage women's health throughout their reproductive years, from adolescence to menopause.
Surgical procedures:
- Dilation and curettage: This procedure scrapes the lining of the uterus and is used to diagnose and treat various uterine conditions.
- Biopsy: OB-GYNs perform biopsies to collect tissue samples for examination, helping to diagnose and manage gynecological issues.
- Tubal ligation: A surgical method for female sterilization, ensuring permanent contraception.
- Laser surgery: Utilized to treat conditions like endometriosis and uterine fibroids.
- Hysterectomy: The removal of the uterus, often necessary for conditions like fibroids or cancer.
- Oophorectomy: This procedure involves the removal of the ovaries, which can be necessary for various medical reasons.
- Myomectomy: This surgical procedure removes uterine fibroids while preserving the uterus.
Pregnancy and childbirth services:
- In vitro fertilization (IVF): Assisting with fertility treatments and conception.
- Vaginal delivery: OB-GYNs manage vaginal childbirth, ensuring a safe and healthy delivery experience.
- Cesarean delivery (C-section): When necessary, OB-GYNs perform cesarean sections to ensure the well-being of both mother and baby.
- Amniocentesis: Used to determine the sex of the baby and detect any potential genetic abnormalities.
- Forceps and vacuum deliveries: Healthcare providers employ these techniques when assisting during childbirth.
Preventive care:
- Pelvic exams: Regular examinations to check for abnormalities in the pelvic region.
- Pap smears: A diagnostic screening test for cervical cancer, crucial for early detection and prevention.
- Clinical breast exams: A physical examination of the breast tissue to detect abnormalities.
- Mammographies: X-ray imaging used for the early detection of breast cancer.
OB-GYNs provide these services, ensuring comprehensive care for women throughout their reproductive years. Their expertise encompasses surgical interventions, pregnancy and childbirth management, and preventive measures to safeguard women's health and well-being.
Why should you visit an OB-GYN?
It would be best to get a preventive health checkup by visiting an OB-GYN near you at least once a year. They perform pelvic exams during these checkups and, if necessary, request further examinations or screenings. They generally decide which tests to order based on the patient's age. OB-GYNs can also provide immunizations, conduct evaluations, and do lab tests for various diseases.
You can visit an OB-GYN for issues such as changes in your reproductive cycle. You can see them if you have pain during urination, pain during intercourse, unusual cramping, or if there are changes in the frequency or volume of menstrual bleeding. You can also visit these specialists for any other issues regarding menstruation, such as mood swings, advice about premenstrual syndrome, pelvic support problems, or cysts and fibroids.
Those who wish to get pregnant can visit an OB-GYN to plan and prepare for pregnancy or learn about infertility treatment, labor, birthing options, diet advice, and breastfeeding. OB-GYNs can also help with genetic testing and screenings and postpartum depression.
For those who are sexually active, you can visit an OB-GYN for urinary tract infections, vaccination against the human papillomavirus, birth control, contraception, or sterilization. You can also visit them for safe sex tips, advice on treating or preventing STIs and HIV, and abnormal vaginal discharge.
Additionally, you can consult an OB-GYN near you for issues related to menopause. They can help with hormone replacement therapy, bone loss, hot flashes, low libido, incontinence, and vaginal dryness.
Difference between OB-GYNs and midwives
Midwives and OB-GYNs differ in several ways, including their education, training, areas of practice, and overall approach to care.
Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) start as registered nurses (RNs) and then go on to earn a master’s degree in midwifery. Their training follows a model similar to that of nurse practitioners (NPs) in other medical fields. The clinical training for midwives covers both medical and non-medical care for a range of OB-GYN conditions, from low to high risk, but focuses heavily on supporting the natural process of pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.
Certified Midwives (CMs) follow a similar educational path. They earn a bachelor’s degree in a related field before pursuing a master’s degree in midwifery and undergoing clinical training, similar to CNMs.
On the other hand, OB-GYNs are medical doctors who specialize in reproductive and gynecological health. They complete medical school and then a residency in obstetrics and gynecology.
Both midwives and OB-GYNs are trained to provide comprehensive obstetrical and gynecological care, which includes annual wellness exams (such as pap smears), testing for and treating STDs and other infections, prescribing birth control, managing gynecological issues like abnormal bleeding, endometriosis, and fibroids, evaluating postmenopausal patients, providing prenatal and postpartum care, and attending deliveries.
Midwives typically care for individuals with low to moderate-risk pregnancies, focusing on patients who expect a normal vaginal delivery and do not have complex medical conditions. While midwives do not perform surgeries, some may assist OB-GYNs during surgical procedures.
In contrast, OB-GYNs have a wider scope of practice that includes managing high-risk pregnancies and performing surgeries. Their training allows them to take care of patients with chronic illnesses or complicated pregnancies. OB-GYNs are also qualified to perform surgical procedures like C-sections, hysterectomies, and other gynecological surgeries.
Find the best OB-GYN near you in Lakefield, Florida
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) advises that the first visit to an OB-GYN should be between the ages of 13 and 15. However, finding a good and trustworthy doctor can take time and effort. But with Zocdoc's meticulously designed database, you can easily find an OB-GYN within minutes.
Finding a medical expert using Zocdoc is easy. Enter your symptoms, required specialist, location, insurance policy, and plan in the search bar. The website will immediately provide a list of the top doctors in your area. If your insurance plan isn’t listed on Zocdoc, you can upload a photo of your medical insurance card (this option is not available for vision or dental insurance). We’ll scan the image of your card and show you the plan you likely have. If you have any issues uploading the image, feel free to reach out to our service team for help. For more insurance-related queries, you can check out Zocdoc’s patient help center page.
Zocdoc also maintains a detailed profile of each healthcare professional. You can check these to learn more about their education, training, certificates, honors, specialties, hospital affiliations, and accreditations. You can also view their gender, fluent languages, and whether they treat children.
Most importantly, Zocdoc offers verifiable patient testimonials to help you decide which OB-GYN to consult. Additionally, you can select your health plan from the website's drop-down menu to check whether your preferred provider is part of your insurer's network. Once you've chosen an OB-GYN near you, you can schedule an online or in-person consultation through Zocdoc. Furthermore, depending on the OB-GYN's availability, you can book appointments on the same day, up to 24 hours in advance, on weekends, or before 10 a.m. or after 5 p.m.
On Zocdoc, booking appointments is safe, quick, and free!
Statistical overview of OB-GYNs in Florida
As outlined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were around 1,170 obstetricians and gynecologists in Florida as of May 2020. Further, according to America's Health Rankings, Florida had approximately 40.6 obstetricians, gynecologists, and midwives per 100,000 population in September 2022.
Additionally, in 2020, about 77.5% of women aged 21 to 44 reported receiving a pap smear within the past three years. The percentage was higher in women aged 35 to 44 (≈82%) and those aged 25 to 34 (≈81.2%). The rate was lower in those aged 21 to 34 (≈59.9%). Further, in 2020-21, about 72.6% of women aged 18 to 44 reported getting a preventive medical visit (well-woman visit).
Sources
Healthline
WebMD
St. George's University
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
America's Health Rankings[1]
America's Health Rankings[2]
America's Health Rankings[3]
HealthPages.org
Oula Health, Inc.
