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A general physician can provide you with answers to your concerns about overall health but there are times when you might need a specialist. Reproductive health is one such area where you might need specific answers. When a person, for instance, a woman in their reproductive years decides to see a specialist, they often face this crossroads of whom to pick, a gynaecologist or an obstetrician. Many of us might not be sure of their specific roles.
In simple words, an obstetrician focuses on pregnancy and its related health issues while a gynaecologist might be concerned with your overall reproductive health. Sometimes, a practitioner might have a qualification in both areas and be designated with OB/GYN title. These specialists have skill sets of both and have a wider range of tackling reproductive health problems.
Gynaecologists are trained to handle functions like taking reproductive health checks, cervical and breast cancer screenings, and infections like UTIs, STIs and other issues. Obstetricians on the other hand are trained to sail you through pregnancy, fertility treatments, neonatal intensive care, vaginal and caesarean births and others. Though both specialists have closely related roles, they cannot act as the other. Hence, it is important to understand their qualification and does it align with your health concern. An OB/GYN is a healthcare worker who specializes in both directions. They are trained to guide you through pregnancies and can also provide answers about your general reproductive health.
An OB/GYN can also provide a wide range of healthcare services including conducting tests like a pap smear, STI testing, pelvic exams, blood work, ultrasounds and others. They are also trained to perform surgical procedures like caesarean section, hysterectomy, removing growths such as ovarian cysts and pelvic repair surgeries.
OB/GYN and higher specialization
Sometimes OB/GYN apart from the responsibilities expected from an obstetrician and gynaecologist can also have additional expertise in other areas like a mother-infant expert who can help with high-risk pregnancies or complicated pregnancies. They can also be reproductive endocrinologists who can provide specific care for infertility problems and hormonal conditions like PCOS. There can be gynaecological oncologists who might be trained in treating cervical and breast cancer. Then there are female pelvic specialists that can help with pelvic floor disorders or in their repair.
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