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    Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

    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.

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



    Obstetric procedures include:

    • Caesarean section: surgically cutting a baby out from its mother’s womb to avoid problems during labour.

    • 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.

    Why see a gynecologist?

    Seeing a gynecologist can:

    • Help you understand your body and how to care for it. • Give you and the doctor a sense of what is normal for you so you can notice any problem changes, like signs of a vaginal infection. • Let the doctor find problems early so they can be treated. • Teach you how to protect yourself if you have sex.

    Your Gynecologist can answer any questions you have about the many changes that may be happening to your body. It’s great to build a relationship with your gynecologist over the years so he or she understands your health and what matters to you.

    When do I need to go?

    The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that teenage girls start seeing a gynecologist between the ages of 13 and 15.

    If you don’t go at that time, you should make sure to visit a gynecologist, adolescent health specialist, or other health professional who can take care of women’s reproductive health if:

    • You have ever had sex (vaginal, oral, or anal) or intimate sexual contact. • It has been three months or more since your last period and you haven’t gotten it again. • You have stomach pain, fever, and fluid coming from your vagina that is yellow, gray, or green with a strong smell — all of which are possible signs of a serious condition called pelvic inflammatory disease(PID) that needs immediate treatment. • You are having problems with your period, like a lot of pain, bleeding heavily, or bleeding for longer than usual, or it has stopped coming regularly. • You have not gotten your period by the age of 15 or within three years of when your breasts started to grow. • You’ve had your period for two years and it’s still not regular or comes more than once a month. • You are having sex and missed your period.