An obstetrician is a surgical specialist who cares for pregnant women and performs labor and delivery-related surgeries. They also address conditions related to the reproductive system and work in a hospital setting. They monitor the health of the mother and baby during labor and delivery and evaluate them after birth. This specialty can be rewarding but also stressful and carries high malpractice insurance rates.
An obstetrician is a medical specialist who focuses on labor and delivery. Obstetrics is actually a surgical subspecialty, which means that this healthcare provider undergoes surgical training and then specializes in the care of pregnant women and labor and delivery-related surgeries, such as cesarean sections. He or she usually works in a hospital setting, so if a laboring mother experiences complications during the course of labor, she may be rushed to an operating room for treatment. The non-surgical version of this medical specialty is obstetrics.
Most obstetricians see their patients during pregnancy and also study gynecology, so they can address a number of conditions related to the reproductive system. During prenatal visits, the doctor checks to be sure the baby is healthy, discusses steps pregnant mothers can take to ensure the pregnancy is going smoothly, and performs diagnostic tests to look for potential problems with pregnancy and delivery.
If medical emergencies occur during pregnancy, this doctor will be part of the team caring for the patient. In some cases, he or she may choose to specialize in high-risk pregnancies, in which case the doctor typically sees patients on a referral basis. Some conditions that require treatment from this type of doctor include tubal pregnancies, pre-eclampsia, placentia previa, and unusual fetal presentations, such as a buttock position, which could cause problems during delivery.
The ideal goal is for a woman to carry a baby to term and give birth comfortably. When a woman feels the first signs of labour, her obstetrician works with a team of labor and delivery nurses and other support staff to keep her comfortable and monitor the baby’s condition. As labor progresses to the time of delivery, the doctor monitors mother and child closely and is present to catch the newborn baby. Once the baby is born, the doctor evaluates the health of the mother and baby and makes sure that no emerging conditions require treatment.
This medical specialty can be a lot of fun, as many people enjoy interacting with babies and helping deliver healthy, happy babies. However, it can also be stressful, since these doctors tend to work long, irregular hours, because labor isn’t easily predictable, and negative outcomes in the delivery room can be emotionally draining. Malpractice insurance rates in this specialty are also extremely high, due to the inherent dangers of labor and childbirth; unpleasant things can happen even in the hands of an experienced doctor.
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