Info about Obstetrics
Obstetrics: Caring for Pregnant Women
The term, obstetrics, is developed from the Latin word obstare, which means to give help, and obstetrix, which means the woman that stands by. Childbirth assistants were usually midwives until early in the 18th century. They were women who provided care for other women during their pregnancy and childbirth. Obstetrics became a medical specialty by the 19th century. The doctors who choose obstetrics for their specialty are called obstetricians.
Normally, obstetricians are certified in gynecology as well. They care for a wide variety of problems with the reproductive system. An obstetrician that has special training to care for high risk pregnancies are called perinatologists. A lot of family practice physicians include gynecology and obstetrics in their practice. They sometimes even include some gynecological surgery. Midwives are still used all over the world in areas that have no doctor available or the doctor is too expensive for people to afford. Some people use a midwife because they want to have a less medicalized birth.
Ideally, obstetrical care starts with counseling a woman who is planning a pregnancy or one who is at risk for an unplanned pregnancy. Preconception counseling can include lifestyle assessment including ways to deal with stress, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, diet, and exercise. They will recommend vitamins, give any necessary vaccines, and give general advice on how to maintain healthy habits. A woman usually makes eight to ten visits to her obstetrician during a normal pregnancy. During these visits there are tests like blood typing, determining if the mother’s and the baby’s blood is incompatible and screening for infectious diseases. This helps the doctor be prepared for a blood transfusion should it be needed either for the mother or the baby and any special preparations needed due to a disease. There are also special tests used to monitor the monitor the fetus’ health. These tests include ultrasounds that visualize the baby and genetic testing to find out the risk of genetic diseases like Down Syndrome.
The woman is attended by an obstetrician during her labor and delivery of the baby. The obstetrician is trained to deal with any complications that may endanger the mother or the baby. Some of these complications may be premature rupture of membranes where the water breaks but labor does not begin, the failure of the cervix to dialate properly, or breech babies where the baby is headed down the birth canal feet first instead of head first. In the case of a breech baby, the obstetrician will perform a cesarean section and remove the baby through an incision in the abdomen. They also repair injuries of the birth canal that can happed during delivery. Obstetrics includes care for the mother for several weeks after she delivers. After the baby is delivered, a pediatrician who specializes in care of children, will take over its care.
An obstetrician has to have four years of medical school, and then at least four more years of training in primary care and obstetrics and gynecological training. After they have completed an approved training class and a period of clinical practice, they can take a test to be board certified as a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology. This recognition is accepted nationally. They must complete two or three more years of training if they wish to specialize in reconstructive surgery, gynecologic cancer, or infertility.