OBGYNDoc
Minneapolis, MN
Female, 36
I am a practicing Obstetrician and Gynecologist, providing care for women in all stages of life. Approximately half of my practice consists of pregnancy-related care, including routine prenatal care, high risk obstetrics, and delivering babies at all hours of the day. The other half consists of gynecologic care, which ranges from routine annual check-ups to contraception and menopause. I perform many surgeries, including laparoscopies and hysterectomies.
The amazing thing about my job is that every day is a different challenge. I take care of women from their adolescent or teen years all the way through menopause and beyond. For most women, I am seeing them once a year for their annual exam, with an occasional visit in between for problem visits. Over the years, I get to know my patients, and really feel that I am a part of their lives. I see them through graduations, relationships, marriages, pregnancies, career changes,etc. When my patients get pregnant, I have the privilege of participating in perhaps the most memorable and emotional 9 months of their lives, culminating in the most life-changing experience possible when I am attending the delivery. Every day when I leave work, I can reassure myself that I have done my best to make the world a better place. While a career in OBGYN is immensely fulfilling, it obviously has its down sides as well. For one, the job requires taking call, which means that there are times when I have to be available at all hours of the night. I have had many 36+ hour stints during which I am constantly on the go. In addition, there is an immense amount of stress that comes with the knowledge that the actions I take can be life-or-death determining actions. I can't imagine doing anything else right now, but there are certainly moments after a long night of call when I wish I had considered a career in dermatology. But then I remind myself... rashes give me the willies!
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We screen all newly pregnant patients for HIV, and early detection is the key to a healthy pregnancy. If an HIV infected mother has a very low viral load, then she has a very good chance of delivering an HIV uninfected baby. Recent studies show that the risk of transmission is <2% if the mother is appropriately treated. The medical advances in treating HIV in pregnancy have made incredible progress such that HIV infected women have an excellent chance of having a healthy baby.
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In my practice, we do not perform water births. For one, when a patient is in a tub full of water, it is extremely difficult to intervene should an unforeseen emergency arise. I have seen enough difficult and harrowing deliveries to know that I always need to be prepared for an emergency- vacuum and forceps deliveries, as well as maneuvers for shoulder dystocia (when the baby's shoulders get stuck under the mother's pubic bone and won't deliver) can be life-saving, and the decision to use these maneuvers is made in a split-second. Every minute of delay could result in permanent injury to the baby. Secondly, as a provider, it is also important that I protect myself from exposure to any bodily fluids. When a patient is delivering in a tub, I think it is nearly impossible to avoid direct contact with the water, which is contaminated with the patient's bodily fluids. We all should practice with universal precautions- protect ourselves from direct contact with blood, amniotic fluid, etc, regardless of who the patient is and what diseases they have been tested for. I don't have a problem with laboring in a tub, however. As long as the baby can be monitored safely and appropriately, and as long as the baby's heart rate is appropriate, then I think a tub labor can be a nice alternative for someone who is hoping to avoid an epidural or IV pain medications.
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After having one miscarriage, the risk of having subsequent miscarriage is only slightly higher (approximately 30% rather than 25%).
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The majority of miscarriages occur in the first trimester. By the time you reach 12 weeks, if a normal heartbeat is detected, the risk of miscarriage is only 3%.
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While I am certainly not a therapist or psychiatrist, postpartum depression and other mood disorders are absolutely something I diagnose and treat on a daily basis. Although I don't know that we can prevent postpartum mood disorders, I certainly think we can prepare ourselves for and lessen the severity of postpartum mood disorders. Firstly, its important that you take care of your physical health- healthy diet, exercise and healthy sleep habits are the first line treatment for depression at any stage of life. Secondly, its important to utilize all of the social supports available- when a friend, neighbor or family member offers to help so that you can take a break from your newborn, then by all means, accept. Being cooped up with a fussy newborn while suffering from extreme sleep deprivation will lower anyone's threshold for a mood disorder. Lastly, but certainly not least, we need to be educated and informed on the signs and symptoms of postpartum mood disorders. Many times the earliest warning signs are attributed to "hormones" or "baby blues" when, in fact, they are a red flag for something much more serious. As an OBGYN, it is my job to educate my patients so that they can recognize the symptoms should they develop.
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If a patient has evidence of an infection, I would certainly bring it up.
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