When practiced together, the specialties are commonly referred to as OB/GYN or OB-GYN.
The vast majority work in medical offices, outpatient clinics, and hospitals.
Obstetrics
Obstetrics involves care during preconception, pregnancy, childbirth, and the weeks following childbirth.
Caiaimage / Agnieszka Wozniak / Getty Images
Gynecologists provide both preventive services and medical or surgical interventions when needed.
Procedural Expertise
Obstetrics is devoted solely to conception, pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care.
Gynecology involves all other aspects of a woman’s health, although certain conditions may overlap during pregnancy.
For the obstetrician, patient care is largely directed by the stage of the pregnancy, known as trimesters.
Your OB/GYN will also estimate the due date for delivery.
During thesecond trimester, your OB/GYN would continue to monitor your condition to ensure that pregnancy proceeds safely.
An amniocentesis may be performed if you are over 35 or there is an abnormal genetic test result.
Labor and deliverymay be induced or natural and involve either a vaginal birth or acesarean section (C-section).
An anesthesiologist may deliver pain relief, including epidural, spinal, or combined spinal-epidural (CSE) anesthesia.
Postpartum careis focused on optimizing care for both the mother and newborn.A pediatrician will assess the baby’s health.
The baby may also be screened for defects or diseases.
Preventive medications may be given.
Health and wellness checks would be routinely scheduled.
The mother’sphysical, social, and psychological well-being would also be monitored during the postpartum period.
Gynecologists employ both surgical and non-surgical therapies to treat or manage conditions affecting a woman’s health.
It also includes oral and injectablehormonal contraceptivesto prevent pregnancy.
Surgery is also a mainstay of a gynecological practice and is used to treat many conditions.
All told, you would expect to spend no less than 12 years in training and education.
Medical School
Medical schools are highly competitive.
Medical students spend most of the first two years in laboratories and classrooms.
An internship is usually a year long, while a medical residency generally lasts for four years.
The ABOG board exam consists of two parts.
The written exam is only offered once yearly on the last Monday in July.
The oral exam is conducted by a panel of experts and covers the same topics as the written exam.
Some OB/GYN healthcare providers will embark on fellowship training after completing their residency.
To check the credentials of a healthcare provider, use theonline verification portalmanaged by the ABOG.
A Word From Verywell
A career in obstetrics andgynecologycan be incredibly rewarding.
But there are downsides.
Another downside is the high liability that comes with delivering babies.
This liability results in highermalpractice insurancecosts for many healthcare providers, even those with an otherwise clean practice record.
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The difference between obstetricians and gynecologists.
United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.Occupational employment and wage statistics: Obstetricians and gynecologists.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.What happens during prenatal visits?
Connecticut Children’s Hospital.What do NICU levels mean?
Newborn hospital care, explained.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.ACOG redesigns postpartum care.
National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus.Types of health care providers.
University of Rochester Medical Center.Obstetrics & Gynecology: conditions we treat.
Alberta Health Services, Government of Alberta.Female genital problems and injuries.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.How your fetus grows during pregnancy.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Group B strep and pregnancy.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Medications for pain relief during labor and delivery.
National Library of Medicine.Postpartum care of the new mother.
University of Rochester Medical Center.Obstetrics and Gynecology: procedures.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Subspecialties of Ob-Gyn.
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