Your
Ob-Gyn: Your Partner in Health Care
Your doctor takes care of your basic health needs
and treats problems. This includes telling you about
leading a healthy lifestyle and doing tests and exams
to look for disease. An ob-gyn is a doctor who specializes
in the care of women. Your ob-gyn offers preventive
health care, too. Preventive health care includes
exams and routine tests that look for problems before
you are sick. Your doctor can evaluate your health
and provide care for a range of medical problems,
not just those of the reproductive system. For many
women, the ob-gyn is their primary care physician-the
doctor they turn to first for health care. It supports
women's health care issues and offers a range of teaching
programs to help doctors keep up with the latest advances
in women's health care. The care provided by your
ob-gyn can range from a basic gynecologic exam to
complete health care of reproductive or other disorders.
Obstetrician-Gynecologist: A doctor with special skills,
training, and education in women's health care.
Ultrasound
Exams
Ultrasound, which creates pictures of the internal
organs from sound waves, can be found today in every
major hospital and in many doctors' offices. Ultrasound
is energy in the form of sound waves produced by a
small crystal. They are changed into pictures of the
internal organs and-during pregnancy-the fetus. The
type of ultrasound that is most often used, called
real-time, combines still pictures one after another
to show movement, somewhat like the single frames
that make a motion picture. Ultrasound is not necessary
for every woman or in every pregnancy. Your doctor
will discuss with you whether ultrasound will be used.
Ultrasound is used in obstetrics to examine the growing
fetus inside the mother's uterus. Ultrasound is used
to measure the flow of blood within vessels of the
uterus, fetus, and umbilical cord, which connects
the fetus and the placenta. Ultrasound with a vaginal
probe is a painless exam that may feel like the exam
you have for a Pap test. Combined with other tests
and exams, ultrasound can help your doctor make an
accurate diagnosis and determine proper treatment
for certain problems.
Planning
Your Pregnancy
Good care and a healthy lifestyle before and during
pregnancy increase the odds that you'll end your 40-week
journey (and begin a whole new one) with a healthy
baby in your arms. Also, if you are prepared, it will
help your body handle the stress of pregnancy, labor,
and delivery. If you're planning to become pregnant
and have already planned a pre-pregnancy checkup,
good for you-it's a smart move. As a part of this
visit, your doctor will ask about your medical and
family history, medications you take, any past pregnancies
you've had, and your diet and lifestyle. Your answers
will help your doctor decide whether you need special
care during pregnancy. Some women have medical conditions-such
as diabetes, high blood pressure, and seizure disorders-that
can cause problems during pregnancy. Be sure to let
your doctor know if a past pregnancy was complicated
by diabetes, high blood pressure, premature labor,
preterm birth, or birth defects. Folic acid, taken
before pregnancy and for the first 3 months of pregnancy,
can reduce the risk of neural tube defects. Three
types of providers offer medical care for pregnancy
and birth: obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns), family
practitioners, and certified nurse-midwives (CNMs).
Labor and delivery nurses help care for women and
their babies during labor, delivery, and right after
birth.
