Are you tired of people making assumptions about your profession? Are you sick and tired of hearing the same question over and over again? Well, look no further because we are here to clarify one of the biggest misconceptions in obstetrics & gynecology. In this article, we'll answer a burning question that almost everyone asks OBGYNs.
The Question on Everyone's Mind
"Do all OB/GYNs deliver babies?"
This is probably the most common and annoying question an ob-gyn can hear. To put it simply, YES! All licensed obstetricians/gynecologists do provide care for pregnant women prior to delivery (prenatal), during labor and delivery (intrpartum) as well as postpartum care after childbirth.
But let us dive into more details:
What Does an Obstetrician/Gynecologist Do?
First things first, let's differentiate what exactly an obstetrician/gynecologist does.
Gynecology
Gyne-what now? An obstetrician/gynecologist or ob-gyn is a medical specialist who practices two distinct subspecialties:
- Obstetrics
- Gynaecology ('h' in Australian English)
Obstetrics focuses on pregnancy care such as prenatal check-ups through delivery while gynaecology involves taking care of reproductive health specifically related to female anatomy ie not involving male genitalia(s).
Is there a Difference Between Obstetricians And Midwives?
"But don't midwives deliver babies?", some might ask with raised eyebrows. Yes they do but only by natural birth; meaning without any medical interventions (if medically advisable) . On the other hand, an experienced doctor such as an ob-gyn will choose either natural methods or use technology like suction pumps/machines called vacuum extraction or forceps if the baby is stuck in the birthing canal. Additionally, they will administer anesthesia if necessary for pain relief during delivery.
What Forms of Care Do OBGYNs Offer?
So we know that obstetricians/gynecologists are trained to provide care prior and after childbirth but what does that formalize into? Below are some key areas under OBGYN:
- Prenatal Care
- Prenatal exams start about 8-10 weeks until delivery.
- Some prenatal services include;
- Screening Tests (amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling)
- Genetic Counseling
- Labor & Delivery
- Birthing method follows patient/client mother preference and type of pregnancy.
- Postpartum Care (After Birth)
- Health assessment: blood pressure check-up on mothers with preeclampsia(pre-e) .
So Who Delivers the Baby?
A more appropriate question to ask would be "Who assists birth"? While an ob-gyn facilitates all aspects above, a team consisting of midwives, nurses and specialists (if needed) attend deliveries too.. Together they ensure things run smoothly in the labor ward.
And hence YES! An obstetrician/gynecologist delivers babies!
In Conclusion
If there's anything annoying OB/GYNs hear often it'll have to be questions like this one regarding delivering infants. As emphasized earlier, Obstetricians/Gynecologists always facilitate medical procedures followed during labor and delivery provided experienced practitioners within their field such as Mid-wives ,can become involved depending on pre-interventional circumstances.
Hopefully you've gained a better understanding of what Obstetrics & Gynaecology involves --- from prenatal through postpartum stages including accepting primary roles before Childbirth hence its dependability when we say "They surely deliver babies".