Do you know how important it is to see an OB/GYN? What happens if your annual exam includes checking for cancer and cervical dysplasia? What about sexually transmitted diseases, like HIV or herpes? These are all things that an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) can help with. You should be seen annually for a check-up to analyze your reproductive health before providing you with guidance properly. Book an appointment with Dr. Wanda Torres. Here are various reasons why you should see an OB/GYN.

• Endometrial Ablation

Endometrial ablation is a non-surgical treatment option for women with heavy periods (menorrhagia) due to benign causes. It involves the removal of the lining of the uterus by either destroying or heating it. The procedure is most commonly performed in a hospital setting under general anesthesia, although newer techniques are being used with minimal systems under local anesthesia. 

These minimally invasive techniques still require complete anesthesia but have reduced pain and recovery time after surgery for many women. Sometimes endometrial ablation is done concomitantly with a surgical procedure called a myomectomy. Through it, fibroids are removed from the uterine wall during ablation.

• High-Risk Obstetrics Care

Women in high-risk obstetrics care have high mortality. Women’s health is a field that needs more attention and care to diagnose and prevent complications. The mortality of these women can be as high as 34%. Obstetricians are at the forefront in caring for pregnant women. 

In general, they provide routine antenatal care, prescribe drugs as needed, monitor for pre-eclampsia, perform urgent surgery as required, and carry out major surgery before the delivery where indicated. There is also obstetrics care for women with heart disease. Heart disease is a common disorder that affects approximately one-quarter of women in the United States. 

It can hugely affect a woman’s health and well-being, including increasing the risk of pregnancy complications such as hypertension, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), peripartum cardiomyopathy, or congestive heart failure and potentially causing cardiac problems during surgery. Appropriate management before and during pregnancy for those with heart disease can significantly improve both mother and infant outcomes.

• In-Office Hysteroscopy

Hysteroscopy is a procedure (endoscopic) used to visualize the interior of the uterus. It often uses liquid to distend, or fill, the uterine cavity so the surgeon can see it better. Combined with tiny surgical instruments inserted through openings in the hysteroscope, it allows for cutting, removing, or shaping tissues inside the uterus. 

Obstetricians usually perform hysteroscopies for a reason, such as removing uterine fibroids. When a woman has heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia), an evaluation typically includes a medical history, physical examination, and sometimes blood tests and sonograms. Less commonly, endometrial sampling may be performed. 

Heavy periods are usually defined as uterine bleeding that interferes with a person’s normal daily activities. There is also an extensive area of reproductive medicine called female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery.

Obstetricians are at the forefront in caring for these women because they provide routine antenatal care, prescribe drugs as needed, monitor for pre-eclampsia, perform urgent surgery as required, and carry out major surgery before the delivery where indicated. They offer a wide range of services such as endometrial ablation, high-risk obstetrics care, and in-office hysteroscopy.