What is gynecology and obstetrics?

Gynecology and obstetrics are studies of the female reproductive system.

Read on to find out more.

What’s the difference between gynecology and obstetrics?

Gynecology normally means treating women who aren’t pregnant, while obstetrics deals with pregnant women and their unborn children, but there are lots of crossover between the two. For example, women may be referred to gynaecologists in the earlier stages of pregnancy, and obstetricians later in their term.

What do gynecologists and obstetricians do?

Gynaecologists and obstetricians use a range of surgical and medical procedures. Gynaecological procedures include:

Laparoscopy: the diagnosis and removal of cysts and infections from the ovaries and fallopian tubes

Cone biopsies: the removal unhealthy cells from the cervix to prevent cervical cancer

Hysterectomies: the removal of a woman’s uterus

Gynecologists are also involved in smear testing programs, which are designed to detect cervical cancer and are free on the NHS to women over the age of 25.

Obstetric procedures include:

Caesarean (or C) section: surgically cutting a baby out from its mother’s womb to avoid problems during labor

Cervical sutures: using tape to strengthen a woman’s cervix to prevent miscarriages

External cephalic version (ECV): turning the baby around in the womb so it is in the correct position for birth

Obstetricians also test fetuses for symptoms of conditions like Down’s Syndrome using ultrasound and techniques like chorionic villus sampling.

Gynecologists and obstetricians often work closely with midwives, nurses and other medical specialists such as urologists, who treat bladder problems, and endocrinologists, who deal with hormone production.

The application of ultrasound technology to obstetric and gynacologic issues figures as one of the staples of this imaging modality. This issue of Ultrasound Clinics features the following articles: Demystifying Ovarian Cysts; Fetal Measurements and Anatomy; Fetal Echocardiography; Management of Threatened Miscarriage; Gestational Trophoblastic Diseases; Sonographic Depiction of Ovarian And Uterine Vasculature; Postmenopausal Endometrial Bleeding; and Pediatric Gynecologic Ultrasound. Acute Right Lower Quadrant Pain, and Early Anatomy Ultrasound.

Packed with more sonographic images than ever before, the app of the Atlas of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology helps you better understand and interpret sonographic imagery, and improve diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound images. This comprehensive visual tutorial is split into two distinct sections: obstetrical ultrasound and gynecological ultrasound. Each section covers normal and abnormal anatomy, pathology, and interventional procedures.
Features:

Includes more than 1,300 ultrasound images that highlight normal and abnormal anatomy, pathological conditions, and procedures.
All 3 authors hail from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Additional author brings experience in and greater coverage of gynecological ultrasound.
Ideal for residents and physicians in radiology, obstetrics, gynecology, emergency medicine, and family practice.
This atlas and guide book is focused on gynecological ultrasound, an area that has remained in the shadow of obstetric ultrasound & fetal medicine. Gynecological ultrasound has seen rapid advances owing to expanding research and improved ultrasound equipment. This app leverages these advances and provides abundant illustrations and practice points of classical and new ultrasound features. It serves as a guide for radiologists, gynecologists and sonologists for the accurate diagnosis of gynecological pathologies.

This new app of the world's best-selling reference on obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound guides you through all of the newest ultrasound technologies, enabling you to diagnose problems accurately.