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The Benefits Of Taking Folic Acid Before And During Pregnancy
Category: Obstetrics, Pregnancy
The CDC recommends that if you are a woman considering getting pregnant, start taking folic acid. If you just found out you are pregnant, start taking folic acid and continue to take it while you are pregnant. Even if you are a woman of child bearing age, the CDC says you should routinely take folic acid. That makes it pretty clear that the benefits of taking folic acid before and during pregnancy must be immense.
Sensitive Topics Worth Mentioning To Your OBGYN
Category: Gynecology, Women's Health
Most of us are wary of looking stupid or asking stupid questions, but at your OBGYN, there is no such thing as a “stupid” question or subject. Trust us, we have heard it all. So squelch that feeling, and ask us whatever you want. That’s why we’re here. Here are just some sensitive topics worth mentioning to your OBGYN.
A Guide To Flu Season During Pregnancy
Category: Obstetrics, Pregnancy
The changes to a pregnant woman’s immune system, heart, or lungs make them more susceptible to severe illness from the flu. This statement should be the first tenet in a guide to flu season during pregnancy, and all pregnant women should get their flu shot as soon as possible. There are even more reasons, such as the following.
When Should You See Your OBGYN About A Heavy Period?
Category: Gynecology
Heavy bleeding during your period is sometimes known medically as menorrhagia. Although every woman is different and menstrual cycles can vary, when should you see your OBGYN about a heavy period?
Gynecological Symptoms You Should Never Ignore
Category: Gynecology, Women's Health
Your gynecologist has seen and heard it all. Some women, though, become embarrassed about discussing certain topics and avoid telling their doctor about symptoms and specific changes with their bodies. Get over it! This is the one person you can always trust to give you answers and provide the right treatment if there is an issue. So here are some gynecological symptoms you should never ignore.
Managing Your Hot Flashes In The Summer
Category: Gynecology, Menopause
The heat is upon us and managing your hot flashes in the summer is no easy task. Unfortunately, wishing it was December won’t help for most, but fortunately there are multiple ways to minimize those insufferable hot flashes!
What Questions Should I Ask My Obstetrician About Genetic Testing?
Category: Obstetrics, Pregnancy
What questions should you ask your obstetrician about genetic testing? The best approach depends on what you really want to know. Every parent-to-be wants to have a healthy beautiful baby, but of course there is always a chance your child will have some abnormality or disorder. The good news is there are prenatal screening tests that will provide you with answers, IF you want to know. Here are some clarifying questions.
Understanding Postpartum Depression And How To Deal With It
Category: Obstetrics, Women's Health
Postpartum depression does not discriminate. You can develop it whether your pregnancy was easy or difficult. You can suffer from it if you are a first time mom or already have a child, married or unmarried, and it occurs in women of all ages, races, and education. Simply put, it can happen to any woman, even you. That’s why understanding postpartum depression and how to deal with it is valuable information for all expectant mothers.
5 Things to Know About Robotic Surgery For Gynecologic Cancer
Category: Gynecology Cancer
Medical technology continues to improve and innovate the way surgeons can perform surgery. Robotic surgery was approved by the FDA in 2005 and is a relatively new less-invasive technique, but different from both laparoscopic and open surgery. Before undergoing any kind of surgery for gynecologic cancer, discuss with OBGYN Associates of Akron these 5 things to know about robotic surgery for gynecologic cancer.
What is a Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist?
Category: Gynecology
In order to graduate from an Ob/Gyn program in the U.S., doctors must first go through 4 years of medical school, then 4 years of residency (sometimes the first year of residency is also called the “internship”). During medical school there are three main licensure tests, and about a hundred smaller tests one must pass before graduation. During residency there are a handful of in-training exams. Just after graduation from residency, doctors take a written board certification exam that lasts all day. In order to take the more grueling oral exam, and to finally be board certified, one must first pass the written test.
Once the written exam is taken, just after completing residency, doctors have 1-2 years to adjust to practicing in their community or hospital. Physicians are known to be “board eligible” once they get out of residency. The new physician must practice medicine to build their own cases. The next year these physicians complete a large “case list” where every single surgery, hospital admission, baby that is delivered, and many office visits are logged into a database that is turned in a few months before the oral board exam. The professors who give the boards testing then review this material. It will become part of their oral review.
Each November or December, a bunch of nervous Ob/Gyns travel to Chicago, where they take over a hotel downtown to take their oral boards. It has cost thousands of dollars in test fees, travel expenses, and hotel charges to get there. 6 professors, in groups of 2, ask you questions for about an hour each. Examiners show slides and ask you what you see, and how you would treat the problem.
Examiners “inquire” why you delivered this baby in such a manner? Or why another a different way, or why you induced labor on this patient, and why you chose a vaginal hysterectomy on one lady versus an abdominal one on another? The questions get harder and harder. Most ob/gyns can recall with great clarity their oral board exams, including specific questions or slides, even 25 years later! The pass rate varies, but is somewhere around 80-85% overall. Receiving the letter that starts “Congratulations….” is one of the most rewarding experiences in an
OBGYN’s career.
CONGRATULATIONS to our recent BOARD Certified Physicians: Hillary Mitchell and Brittany Van Beek!
