What Does a Gynecology/Obstetrics Nurse Do?

Gynecology/obstetrics nurses are also known as OB/GYN nurses, and are specially trained to provide nursing care for women during pregnancy, labor and childbirth, as well as provide nursing care for women with health problems of or related to their reproductive system.

OB/GYN nursing is a broad field, so nurses often further specialize in a specific area, such as perinatal nursing or labor & delivery nursing at hospitals and birthing centers or in gynecology nursing in a physician's office.

OB/GYN nurses provide care and support for women from the moment they start their first period all the way through menopause. They educate women on physical and sexual health, and discuss patients' options for birth control, as well as preventative measures such as HPV vaccinations for the prevention of cervical cancer and mammograms for the early detection of breast cancer.

OB/GYN nurse practitioners often serve under the authority of a physician as primary care givers to women, and can write prescriptions, order lab tests and make diagnoses.

Support Functions

OB-GYN Nurses support the physicians they work for by taking patient's medical histories and helping to educate patients regarding sexually transmitted diseases, birth control and pre-natal care.

Clinical Functions

OB-GYN nurses take samples and specimens, assist with gynecological exams and delivering babies. OB-GYN nurses occasionally deliver babies on their own when the child arrives before the attending physician is able to reach the hospital.

Considerations

OB-GYN nurses must be willing to advocate all family planning options and participate in any related procedures, regardless of their own personal beliefs.

Training

OB-GYN nurses tend to learn on the job. However, you must already be trained as a general nurse to work as an OB-GYN nurse. While training to be a general nurse, it is possible to take elective courses that focus on OB-GYN issues.

Medical care for a pregnant woman

Pregnant women usually are cared for by:

• obstetricians (doctors who specialize in pregnancy and childbirth)

• obstetricians/gynecologists (OB/GYNs) (doctors who specialize in pregnancy and childbirth, as well as women's health care)

• family practitioners (doctors who provide a range of services for patients of all ages — in some cases, this includes obstetrical care — instead of specializing in one area)

• certified nurse-midwife (an advanced practice nurse specializing in women's health care needs, including prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum care for pregnancies without complications)

Any of these care providers is a good choice if you're healthy and there's no reason to anticipate complications with your pregnancy and delivery. However, nurse-midwives do need to have a doctor available for the delivery in case a cesarean section has to be performed.

Y our health care provider may refer you to a doctor with expertise in high-risk pregnancies if you:

• have a chronic condition like diabetes or heart problems

• have an increased risk of preterm labor

• are older than 35

• are pregnant with more than one fetus

• have some other complicating factor that might put you in a high-risk category

Even if your pregnancy isn't high risk, this may still be a good time to make a change in health care providers if you're not comfortable with your current doctor.

You should call to schedule your first examination during the first 6 to 8 weeks of your pregnancy, or when your menstrual period is 2 to 4 weeks late. Many health care providers will not schedule the first visit before 8 weeks, unless there is a problem.

During your first visit, you'll be asked a lot of questions about your health and habits that may have an impact on your pregnancy. It's important to try to remember the date of your last menstrual period so your doctor can estimate the duration of your pregnancy and predict your delivery date.

You can expect to have a full physical, including a pelvic and rectal examination. A blood sample will be taken and used for a series of tests:

• a complete blood cell count (CBC)

• blood typing and screening for Rh antibodies (antibodies against a substance found in the red blood cells of most people)

• for infections such as syphilis, hepatitis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

• for evidence of previous exposure to chickenpox (varicella), measles (rubeola), mumps, or German measles (rubella)

• for cystic fibrosis (health care providers recently started to offer this even if there's no family history of the disorder)

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акушери сертифікована медсестра-акушерка спостереження за вагітною жінкою післяпологовий догляд передчасні пологи запланувати тривалість вагітності тазове і ректальне обтеження аналіз крові муковісцидоз

Prematurity

Health conditions in the mother, such as diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease, may contribute to preterm labor. Often, the cause of preterm labor is unknown. About 15% of all premature births are multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets, etc.).

• A weakened cervix that begins to open (dilate) early, also called cervical incompetence

• Birth defects of the uterus

• History of preterm delivery

• Infection (such as a urinary tract infection or infection of the amniotic membrane)

• Poor nutrition right before or during pregnancy

• Preeclampsia ~ high blood pressure and protein in the urine that develop after the 20th week of pregnancy

• Premature rupture of the membranes (placenta previa)

A premature infant is a baby born before 37 completed weeks of gestation. At birth, a baby is classified as one of the following:

• Premature (less than 37 weeks gestation)

• Full term (37 to 42 weeks gestation)

• Post term (born after 42 weeks gestation)

Other factors that increase the risk for preterm labor and a premature delivery include:

• Age of the mother (mothers who are younger than 16 or older than 35)

• Being African-American

• Lack of prenatal care

• Low socioeconomic status

• Use of tobacco, cocaine, or amphetamines

A premature infant will have a lower birth weight than a full-term infant.

Common signs of prematurity include:

• Abnormal breathing patterns (shallow, irregular pauses in breathing called apnea)

• Body hair (lanugo)

• Enlarged clitoris (in female infants)

• Less body fat

• Lower muscle tone and less activity than full-term infants

• Problems feeding due to trouble sucking or coordinating swallowing and breathing

• Small scrotum that is smooth and has no ridges, and undescended testicles (in male infants)

• Soft, flexible ear cartilage

• Thin, smooth, shiny skin that is often transparent (can see veins under skin).

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передчасні пологи близнюки трійнята амніотична мембрана вагітність поверхневий смоктання проковтування неопущені яєчка гнучкий хрящ вуха прозорий