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The emergence of new life is an amazing and very laborious process. A woman who is planning a pregnancy or is already carrying a child needs the help of relatives and professional doctors. The whole process of bearing a baby, its development, the health of the mother takes place under the control of an obstetrician-gynecologist. This specialist will monitor the development of the fetus, solve problematic issues, take delivery. Therefore, they choose such a doctor even before conception and very responsibly.
What is included in the scope of its tasks
For a long time, obstetrics was in decline, it was not singled out as a separate area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbmedicine, and midwives took delivery. Pregnancy was considered a “death trick” and often really ended sadly. We are lucky to live in a civilized time under the supervision of doctors and the latest achievements of science. Today, a woman can count on professional help even before pregnancy.
Obstetrician-gynecologists specialize in issues of conception, the correct formation of the fetus, childbirth and any problems associated with the course of pregnancy. Do not confuse the gynecologist, obstetrician and this doctor. A gynecologist studies diseases of the female genitourinary system, treats them and carries out prevention. An obstetrician is not considered a doctor at all, he belongs to the middle-level medical staff, can assist in childbirth, help the doctor.
An obstetrician-gynecologist advises women if there are problems with conception, recommends drugs, diet or additional measures. After successful fertilization, each pregnant woman goes under the care of this health worker. He conducts periodic inspections, takes materials for analysis and evaluates them. If any problem or illness appears, this specialist solves them with minimal risk to the health of the mother and baby.
During the birth of a child, he is also present during childbirth. If complications occur, the doctor takes measures to eliminate them. After that, he can suture the woman in labor, if they are needed. Also, its competence includes monitoring the woman and the child in the postpartum period. Both patients are then returned to the care of therapists.
The scope of activity of an obstetrician-gynecologist includes the following tasks: pregnancy planning, verification of the fact of conception, full control over the situation, presence at childbirth.
Planning for pregnancy. Most of the ladies plan such a process on their own, without the help of doctors. However, there are those who approach this task very responsibly, prepare their body and eliminate all risks. It is in this case that an obstetrician-gynecologist is needed, he will take tests, ask questions, recommend methods of preparation. After assessing women’s health and the necessary treatment, the doctor will inform the expectant mother that she is completely ready for fertilization.
Verification of the fact of conception. Most often, young ladies go to such a specialist to confirm or dispel the presence of pregnancy. In this case, he interrogates the patient, takes tests and states the fact. If the woman is in position, the specialist sets the date of conception, the timing and approximate day of delivery.
Full control over the situation. Throughout the entire gestation, the girl should periodically visit her obstetrician-gynecologist. He will measure blood pressure, conduct routine tests and examinations, and listen to complaints. In a word, a pregnant woman can turn to him with any physiological problem.
birth attendance. Most of the work is done by an obstetrician. The doctor is present to control the process, and he can also intervene if complications occur. When the baby appears, he assesses his condition and the well-being of the young mother, puts stitches.
After the long-awaited newborn appears, the mother will be under the supervision of her specialist for some time. This is necessary to eliminate the risk of infection, rupture of sutures or other problems in the former woman in labor. After full recovery, the work of an obstetrician-gynecologist is considered completed.
When and why to contact him
Ladies who are just planning to have a baby should make an appointment with an obstetrician-gynecologist about six months before the planned conception. This is necessary to accurately identify possible risks and eliminate them. According to scientists in the CIS countries, only 30% of pregnancies proceed without complications. This is partly due to poor women’s health and lack of proper preparation.
When planning a future pregnancy, the patient is prescribed a series of tests and diagnostic measures.
This is necessary in order to get a complete picture of her health and determine the likelihood of fertilization. In this case, most likely, you will need to go through several other rooms. It is also recommended that both partners prepare for the appearance of the baby, so dad will also have to visit a medical facility. For men, in most cases, the list of necessary tests and examinations is much smaller than for women.
It is worth visiting this specialist for young girls who do not have menstruation after the age of 15, when menstruation is very painful (at any age), if menstrual flow occurs for more than 7 days and is very abundant, with the appearance of vaginal bleeding that is not associated with the menstrual cycle. If pregnancy is suspected, and also if menstruation does not occur in the absence of sexual life. If redness, itching, foreign secretions, unpleasant odor, peeling, blood discharge during pregnancy, pain during intercourse or urination, burning sensation are found on the external genitalia, they also turn to a gynecologist.
Patients in position should visit their doctor according to the prescribed plan. As a rule, in the first trimester, an examination is required once a month. Then such visits become more frequent up to two times a month. At the appointment, the doctor will conduct examinations, ask questions, do an electrocardiogram of the fetus and measure the mother’s blood pressure. If bearing is problematic and is accompanied by complications, additional examinations may be required.
During the planning and gestation period, the following studies may be prescribed:
- determination of hormonal balance;
- checking for infections;
- thyroid diagnostics;
- urine and blood tests;
- determination of antibodies in the blood to bacteria and viruses;
- immunological and genetic examinations.
The obstetrician-gynecologist evaluates the results, if necessary, prescribes therapy. A woman can get an appointment with him in the direction of her gynecologist or make an appointment on her own.
At the appointment with the obstetrician-gynecologist, the doctor asks about the reason for the visit and the patient’s fears. If she suspects that she is in a position, he confirms or refutes this fact. At the same time, he necessarily evaluates the mammary glands, examines the external and internal genital organs using mirrors.
If a fungal, viral or bacterial disease is suspected, the specialist must, in addition to the bimanual examination and examination, take smears and send them for examination.
Ladies in a position should not neglect suspicious symptoms in any case. Pregnancy is accompanied by a lot of risks and dangers, which, unfortunately, sometimes lead to sad consequences. The doctor will be able to prevent many fetal pathologies in time, to properly cure the expectant mother with the help of medicines.
Young girls with menstrual irregularities should also not put off going to the doctor. Such failures can portend various diseases or pathologies. If their cause is not identified in time and not treated, the patient may remain infertile or future pregnancy will be greatly complicated.
Treatment during pregnancy
Gestation is a rather long period during which a girl may develop various diseases. As already mentioned, only a part of pregnant women go through this process without complications. A good obstetrician-gynecologist can prevent such problems in time and solve them correctly without harming his patient.
Almost every one of them is faced with varicose veins, which is associated with lengthening and expansion of the veins. This is caused by various factors, including disruptions in the hormonal background, decreased muscle tone, lack of estrogen, and a large load on the legs.
The complex course of such a disease is treated with the help of surgery, drug treatment, and preventive measures. To avoid the development of varicose veins, it is recommended to periodically lie with your legs up, wear bandage tights, and do massages. In rare cases, varicose veins can provoke clogging of the veins, the doctor will definitely solve this problem, taking into account the tests. Depending on the course of such diseases, a woman in labor may even be prescribed a caesarean section.
Also, during the gestation period, women often experience diseases of the genitourinary system. For example, small neoplasms may appear on the ovaries, which sometimes go away on their own. Uterine fibroids are a very common problem in parturient women, and bed rest and a list of medications are recommended. In severe clinical pictures, an operation is prescribed. In addition, damage by fungi or viruses is also possible and carries a great danger for the patient and her baby.
Most often faced with such infections: vaginal candidiasis, herpes, genital warts, bacterial vaginosis. Most of them carry little danger, but cause great discomfort to the patient. Symptoms of such diseases are considered unusual discharge, unpleasant odor, sometimes itching, rash. Even one such symptom is a reason to visit an obstetrician-gynecologist. Some of the viral and bacterial infections threaten premature birth, miscarriage. They are treated mainly with medication, in order to avoid infection of the baby, the expectant mother is prescribed a caesarean section.
Fetal fading and ectopic pregnancy are considered extremely severe cases during gestation.
The first is quite rare and it is very important to recognize it. Most often this happens in the early stages, ending in a miscarriage. However, a dead embryo may not be rejected and this poses a threat to the woman’s life. The reason for this phenomenon is venereal diseases, genetic factors, in rare cases, with acute respiratory infections, microbes can penetrate the embryo. Non-developing pregnancy is diagnosed by ultrasound.
With an ectopic pregnancy, the woman’s body also rejects the fetus, which is located in the fallopian tube. As a rule, this happens no later than the ninth week. Symptoms of this phenomenon are severe pain in the lower abdomen, frequent dizziness and fainting, low blood pressure. In this case, the girl is necessarily operated on, she goes through a recovery period. Also, doctors must prescribe preventive and treatment measures so that this does not happen again.
Useful advice from an obstetrician-gynecologist
Replenishment in the family should be a joyful moment, so it is better to carefully prepare for it. At the same time, not only the physical health of both parents is important, but also moral maturity. To begin with, it is worth making sure that both partners are ready for such changes. If the family decides to have a baby, it is better to visit such a specialist 6 months before the planned start of pregnancy. The health of both women and men is important, so it is better to go through the examination together.
Also, obstetricians-gynecologists recommend ladies to monitor their health both before and after pregnancy. It is important to follow all the rules of hygiene, use only your hygiene products, underwear, clothes. A special risk zone is sexually transmitted diseases, which also have a bad effect on reproductive ability. Any casual sexual relationship should be protected, and regular sexual partners should definitely be checked at least occasionally by a venereologist.
During the period of bearing a child, a planned visit to your obstetrician-gynecologist is simply necessary. This entire period will pass without complications, if you strictly follow all his recommendations. It’s also important to feel free to go to the doctor’s office and talk to him about any concerns or symptoms you have. After the long-awaited heir is born, visits to a specialist should not be neglected. In addition to physical health, it will help restore emotional balance, which is extremely important for young parents.