Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Within gynaecology procedures include:

carrying out surgical interventions following miscarriage
treating abnormal bleeding and polyps
major surgery for gynaecological cancers
minimal access surgery for problems including endometriosis

Keyhole or minimal access surgery is now commonplace and has many advantages.

Assisted reproduction (fertility treatment) has helped many thousands of women have a family, which would not have been possible in the last generation.

Obstetrics

Within obstetrics, most of the care of low risk mothers and uncomplicated deliveries are performed by midwives.

About 35% of births are undertaken by an obstetrician, usually for more complex cases or if the baby becomes distressed during labour. Their work includes:

using instruments to assist delivery – including forceps or a ventouse (vacuum-assisted delivery)
performing caesarean sections, either as a planned or emergency procedure