Gynecologist vs Obstetrician

Two professions have been closely linked to motherhood and childbirth. These are obstetrics and gynecology. In many cases nowadays, professionals not only settle for one but both professions since it is more lucrative in terms of career development and financial growth. That’s why there’s the creation of the OB-GYN. This is also the reason why many women today are now confused as to what type of medical practitioner to consult because of the blurring disparity between the two. So how does an obstetrician differ from a gynecologist?

Although both are very closely related, the two professions have different roles in terms of pregnancy, family planning, post pregnancy care, and other fields. To test for pregnancy, it is your gynecologist who usually confirms such an issue. Your obstetrician will be the one in charge of pre-natal issues, testing, and also childbirth (delivery). In short, the obstetrician generally oversees the care of the mother across all major stages of pregnancy including the postpartum period (stage immediately after childbirth).

If you are still planning on how you can best raise a family, then one of the concepts you must learn is family planning. This subject is best discussed by the gynecologist. In this connection, any problems related to fertility are first handled by him or her. You will just be referred to an advanced specialist in case you need better attention with your fertility issues. In performing operations such as tubal ligations and hysterectomies, he or she can also assist you. Ligation is an invasive artificial means of contraception while hysterectomy is an operation involving the removal of the uterus. Other diseases and reproductive health issues are better off tackled by the gynecologist like cancer involving the female reproductive system, STDs, UTIs, and menstrual problems.

But this does not mean that the obstetrician is no longer responsible for reproductive health. Obstetricians are still the ones in charge for the woman or mother’s health most especially if it involves the birthing process and health problems related to pregnancy. And so, diagnosing complications of childbirth is part of the obstetrician’s job. He or she can assess for the womb positioning, chances of miscarriage, and any other health issues that may arise throughout the pregnancy. In this regard, he or she is the one that can advise whether a pregnant mother should go through a vaginal delivery or for the more radical approach of Caesarean delivery.

Summary:

1.Basically, an obstetrician is more inclined to deal with pregnancy and childbirth issues.
2.Gynecologists are more adept at reproductive health prevention and treatment.
3.The obstetrician can advise what type of delivery is best suited for a pregnant mother.
4.A gynecologist is the best authority for family planning related matters.

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