Obstetricians and gynecologists offer a wide range of care
Our obstetricians and gynecologists specialize in care of the female reproductive system. They provide a full range of gynecological health and wellness care for every stage of a woman’s life.
Annual exams for adults and teens
During this yearly preventive visit, your gynecologist will go over your health history and do a physical exam. It’s also a chance to talk about skin and hormonal changes, periods, sexuality, birth control and more.
Family planning
We’ll help you plan for the family you want, when it’s right for you. Services include:
- Preparing for pregnancy, including staying at a healthy weight, screenings, care for infections and a medication review
- Identifying causes if you’re not getting pregnant and recommending ways to improve chances of pregnancy
- Reviewing your options if you have an unplanned pregnancy
Care during and after pregnancy
From confirming that you’re pregnant to delivering your baby and providing care after birth, we’re here for you. Services include:
- Guidance on healthy habits, vitamins and more
- Prenatal care, including guidance if you’re older or have conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure
- Ultrasounds to monitor your baby’s growth and development
- Genetic testing to identify potential health concerns for your baby
- Delivery care, including support for vaginal or C-section deliveries
Practical OB-GYN care options for common age-related changes
Seeing an OB-GYN at every stage of life can help you manage changes, stay on top of your health and support overall wellness.
Menopause is a normal phase in life when you stop having periods. But it can cause hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and changes in weight, sleep and mood shifts. We can help. Care options include hormone therapy and certain antidepressants.
Aging can also affect your bladder. Two common issues are leaking urine and a prolapsed uterus (the uterus drops due to weak muscles). Care options include Kegel exercises and a vaginal pessary — a soft removable ring that supports bladder control and keeps organs in place.
OB-GYN FAQ
An OB-GYN provides comprehensive care for your specific health needs, from teen years through menopause and beyond. Your OB-GYN can address a wide range of concerns, including:
- Abnormal menstrual cycles
- Abnormal pap smears
- Adolescent gynecology & counseling
- Birth control, including implant procedures
- Bone health
- Cancer screenings
- Endometriosis
- Fibroids
- Fitness, nutrition & weight management
- Immunizations (including Gardasil)
- Infertility
- Menopause & hormone replacement therapy
- Ovarian cysts
- Pelvic pain
- Preconception counseling Pregnancy-related care
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Sexually transmitted disease (STD) screening & treatment
- Urinary incontinence
- Vulvar & vaginal infections
The most common procedures include:
- Dilation & curettage (D&C): Removal of abnormal tissue from inside the uterus
- Hysteroscopic surgery: Removal of abnormal tissue, polyps or fibroids from inside the uterus
- Loop electrosurgical excision (LEEP): Removal of abnormal tissue on the surface of the cervix
Advanced, minimally invasive laparoscopic surgeries include:
- Endometriosis resection: Removal of endometrial patches (displaced uterine lining)
- Hysterectomy: Removal of the uterus
- Myomectomy: Removal of uterine fibroids or leiomyomas (noncancerous growths in the uterus)
- Tubal Ligation: Removal of fallopian tubes to address fertility
Check with your local clinic to find out if these procedures are offered in your area.
You should have a discussion with your OB-GYN provider on a yearly basis, since guidelines can change based on your personal and family history. Regular screening is the most reliable way to find breast cancer early and care for it successfully.
Please talk with your OB-GYN about appropriate screenings for you.
Yes, you should schedule a visit with your OB-GYN when you’re thinking about getting pregnant. Seeing an OB-GYN can be helpful for:
- Adjusting medications as needed prior to conception
- Evaluating any general health risks that may impact pregnancy
- Proper dietary counseling and use of prenatal vitamins and other supplements
- Proper exercise during conception and early pregnancy
- Screening for medical conditions that may be passed on to your baby, known as carrier screening or genetic testing
- Tracking your health and the health of your pregnancy through delivery
- Understanding early pregnancy symptoms and warning signs
Many patients have conditions or develop them during pregnancy that make a pregnancy “high risk.” Your obstetrician is trained in evaluating and managing high-risk conditions. Optum obstetricians routinely provide care for the following conditions:
- Accelerated fetal growth
- Advanced maternal age
- Anxiety & depression
- Asthma
- Autoimmune diseases
- Blood disorders
- Cardiac disorders
- Diabetes
- Fetal growth restriction or low birth weight
- History of preterm birth or stillbirth
- Hypertension
- Obesity
- Preeclampsia
- Recurrent pregnancy loss
- Substance use disorders
- Thyroid disorders
Check with your local clinic to find the best OB-GYN for you.
If you think you’re pregnant, we recommend you contact your doctor as soon as possible. It’s important to get the best care throughout your pregnancy to keep both you and your baby healthy. Notifying your doctor early in pregnancy allows you and your OB-GYN to determine the best personalized care plan.
At a minimum, the recommended visit schedule for a low-risk pregnancy is:
- Begin care around 6-8 weeks of pregnancy
- Regular checkups every 4 weeks until week 28
- From week 28 to 36, schedule OB-GYN visits every 2 weeks
- Then weekly from week 36 until delivery.
The recommended visit schedule may change depending on your individual needs and the health of your pregnancy.
During your prenatal visits, we'll talk about many topics, including:
- Birthing options, including when to seek care, a birth plan & doula support options
- Breastfeeding
- Family planning
- Fetal development
- Fetal monitoring
- Labor & delivery care, including team birth programs
- Male infant circumcision
- Obstetrical anesthesia
- Postpartum care
- Postpartum depression
- Postpartum hemorrhage
- Prenatal classes
- Proper nutrition, exercise & safe medication use
- Vaccine safety
Helpful OB-GYN resources
8 tips for a healthy pregnancy
Are you expecting? You may have a lot of questions about how to give your baby a healthy start in life. Here’s some important advice for moms-to-be.
Mom brain: What happens after pregnancy
“Mom brain” is real, but it should get better over time. Knowing why it’s happening and creating the right coping strategies can help you get through it.
How do you raise a healthy child?
Learn more about the basics of children’s health, including healthy eating, regular activity and vaccinations.
Family health tips from doctors who are also moms
Find out how real doctors like to keep their own families healthy with these 8 expert tips.
Optum arranges for or provides medical and other clinical services in accordance with laws in each state it operates. Physicians or providers referenced on this website are to those who are either part of independent practices or to those medical practices managed by or owned, where permitted, by Optum. In all circumstances, physicians and other licensed professionals have complete authority for all medical decision-making and patient care. Optum does not determine or set the methods, standards, or conduct of the practice of medicine or health care provided by any of the practices or their physicians or other licensed professionals.