Understanding the Role of an OBGYN: What They Do and Why It Matters

An obstetrics and gynecology doctor, commonly known as an OBGYN, is an important part of a woman’s healthcare team. The services an OBGYN provides can help ensure a woman’s reproductive and gynecological health, throughout her lifetime.

What You Need To Know About an OBGYN Doctor

An OBGYN doctor plays an important role in a woman’s health, through all the stages of a woman’s life, from teens to menopausal women. An OBGYN provides routine services for all women, including:

• An annual women’s reproductive health wellness exam
• A pelvic exam, including a pap smear to help detect early cervical cancer
• A breast exam to help detect early breast cancer

For sexually active teens and young women, an OBGYN doctor can:

• Provide birth control options to help prevent pregnancy
• Help with issues due to menstruation, including reducing heavy bleeding and cramping
• Diagnose and treat sexually transmitted infections and diseases

For women who are trying to get pregnant, an OBGYN can provide infertility counseling, screening, and treatment to help you and your partner start a family. For women who are pregnant, an OBGYN is critical to protecting your health and the health of your baby by providing:

• The initial pregnancy examination
• Routine pregnancy examinations throughout the term of your pregnancy
• Nutritional and dietary counseling to help ensure a healthy pregnancy for you and your baby
• Prenatal and lactation counseling to help you care for your newborn

For women going through menopause, an OBGYN can help reduce unpleasant menopausal symptoms like these:

• Weight gain
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Mood swings
• Hormone management
• Thinning bones, hair, and skin

Your OBGYN doctor also provides diagnosis and treatment for acute gynecological and reproductive issues, including:

• Breast lumps and breast tenderness
• Severe pelvic and abdominal pain
• Heavy vaginal bleeding or pain
• Vaginal discharge or vaginal dryness
• Sexually transmitted diseases

Want To Know More?

To find out more about the role of your OBGYN doctor and what they do, talk with an expert. Call our OBGYN doctor today.