Gynaecologist and obstetrician are abbreviated as OB/GYN. Both are doctors, practice problems related to female. Difference of both the keywords lies in their definition.
Gynaecologist is a physician treats the medical care of women; diagnose their diseases & disorders and their reproductive system, such as vagina, uterus, and ovaries without pregnancy. He deals with mammograms and pap smear, uterine or any kind of vaginal infections, fertility problems or contraception, tubal ligations and hysterectomies. He only confirms the possibility of pregnancy & then refers to obstetrician. The typical surgical procedures performed by a gynaecologist are hysterectomy, oophorectomy, tubal ligation, laparoscopy, laparotomy, cystoscopy.
And an Obstetrician is a doctor who provides medical & surgical care of women and their children during pregnancy, labour, puerperium (the period of time of birth). They provide preventive care, prenatal care, Pap test screening, family planning, etc. Usually in the 1st trimester of an expectant he continues with regular ultrasounds to determine the health of foetus & identify if any complications are there. The surgical procedures performed by obstetrician are vaginal and caesarean deliveries & episiotomy.
Though their profession differs, their educational background, surgical procedure & treatment also differ a lot. Let us discuss those.
Education and training of OB/GYN
American Board of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (ABOG) sets the education and training standard of OB/GYN. These are-
- They should be graduated from an approved medical school.
- An OB/GRN residency program of 4 years’ time span should be completed that is accredited by the ACGME (American Council for Graduate Medical Education.
- An experience of 6 months in primary and preventive care is necessary.
- With each year of training one should increase patient responsibility.
- During final year of residency, he should serve as chief or senior resident.
OB/GYN may choose specialization in following areas-
- Infertility
- Cancer
- Adolescent gynaecology
- Health maintenance of pregnant ladies
- Urinary tract disorders
- Acute and chronic medical conditions
- Pregnancy and delivery
- Endocrinology
- Preventative health
- Operative gynaecology
Subspecialties of OB/GYN
Each subspecialty has its own certification exams administered by ABOG.
- Gynaecologic oncology – these doctors consult patients with gynaecologic cancer.
- Maternal/foetal medicine – complications of pregnancy are treated by these doctors.
- Reproductive endocrinology and infertility – complex problems such as reproductive endocrinology and infertility are seen here.
- Urogynecology/ reconstructive pelvic surgery – these doctors concerned with the health of female urinary tract and treat patient with surgery.
- Family planning – this subspecialty offers training in contraception which terminates pregnancy.
The process of choosing a gynaecologist
Gynaecologists doctors in Mumbai have increased in numbers over the last few years. The first thing that needs to be kept in mind when you are pregnant is to have a healthy pregnancy and the choice of a top female gynaecologists in Mumbai, has to be on the wish list. This is really worth the time and effort if you are planning to undertake a systematic research in this regard. After all, one thing that you need to keep in mind is that a gynaecologist is a person who goes on to help you with your timely delivery. There is no harm in setting a benchmark as far as the choice of a gynaecologist is concerned. This is all the more so as you will be sharing some personal details with them.
