What is a doctor called who delivers babies

What Is an Obstetrician? What They Do & When To See One

What is an obstetrician?

Obstetricians specialize in caring for people during preconception, pregnancy, childbirth and the first several weeks postpartum (after childbirth). They manage and treat health conditions associated with pregnancy to ensure both you and your baby are healthy.

What does an obstetrician do?

An obstetrician provides routine prenatal care to people who are pregnant. They also diagnose and treat complications during pregnancy. Obstetricians deliver your baby and monitor you after childbirth.

Your obstetrician is responsible for:

Prenatal screenings, exams and lab tests.
Evaluating your baby’s size, growth and position in your uterus.
Detecting congenital anomalies or potential complications in conjunction with maternal-fetal medicine providers.
Using ultrasound, blood tests, urinalysis and other tools to monitor your pregnancy.
Treating health conditions that can affect your pregnancy or your baby.
Managing labor and delivery, including labor induction, emergencies and medications.
Providing postpartum care for up to six weeks after childbirth.

What's the difference between an obstetrician and a gynecologist?

An obstetrician provides care during pregnancy and delivers babies. A gynecologist doesn’t treat people who are pregnant or deliver babies, but specializes in the female reproductive system. It’s common for healthcare providers to combine these two areas of medicine. This is called obstetrics and gynecology or Ob/Gyn.

What's the difference between an obstetrician and a midwife?

A midwife provides the same care as an obstetrician, but they didn’t attend a medical school like an obstetrician. Midwives are professionally trained and certified to assist people who are pregnant in their prenatal care and delivery. Midwives tend to let people who are pregnant have more control over their baby’s birth. People who are pregnant may seek a midwife when they’re experiencing a low-risk pregnancy and desire aspects like fewer medical interventions or alternative pain methods. Some people will have a midwife in the delivery room with their obstetrician as an additional support person. Midwives work with obstetricians if additional care is necessary.

How does someone become an obstetrician?

First, you get a bachelor’s degree. Then, you pass the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) to get into a medical school. It usually takes about four years to earn a medical degree.

From there, you spend about four years in a residency program. In a residency program, you gain experience diagnosing and treating people who are pregnant and participating in births.

Some obstetricians receive extra training in subspecialties like maternal-fetal medicine (MFM), which focuses on caring for people who are pregnant and have chronic health conditions or issues that make them high-risk.

After residency, you can become certified through the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG). This involves passing an oral and written exam. Some obstetricians are members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), a professional organization for gynecologists and obstetricians.

Obstetricians must get a license to practice medicine. The requirements vary by state, but obstetricians must pass an examination to get their medical license and treat people.

What conditions do obstetricians treat?

In addition to monitoring your general wellness during pregnancy, obstetricians check for complications, diseases or conditions associated with pregnancy. They also monitor your growing baby’s health by measuring fundal height and doing ultrasounds.

Some of the most common conditions they help manage are:

High blood pressure or preeclampsia.
Ectopic pregnancies or miscarriages.
Issues with the placenta like placental abruption.
Morning sickness or nausea.
Gestational diabetes.
Infections.
Muscle aches and pains.
Genetic disorders.

Some obstetricians have additional experience managing higher-risk pregnancies. A high-risk pregnancy has a greater chance of complications. If the pregnancy is too high risk or beyond your obstetrician’s comfort level, they may refer you to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist.

What surgeries do obstetricians perform?

Obstetricians can perform surgeries related to pregnancy, labor and delivery. Some of the most common surgical procedures are:

Episiotomy.
Dilation and curettage (D&C).
Vaginal delivery.
Cesarean delivery.
Cervical cerclage.
Using forceps or a vacuum to assist with the birth.

When would I need to see an obstetrician?

You should see an obstetrician as soon as you know you’re pregnant. Obstetricians care for you and your baby for the duration of your pregnancy and several weeks postpartum (after you give birth).

You’ll see an obstetrician for the first time around seven or eight weeks after your last menstrual period and then monthly, biweekly and weekly as you near your due date. Most practices schedule a postpartum visit with your obstetrician about six weeks after you’ve given birth to make sure no other complications have developed.

Your prenatal care is centered around detecting potential complications at office visits or through exams and lab tests.

Some of the prenatal screenings, exams and routine lab tests you need during pregnancy are:

Complete blood count (CBC) and other blood panels.
Pap smear.
Urinalysis.
Screenings for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Ultrasounds to assess the placenta and uterus.
Group B Streptococcus screen.
Glucose tolerance test (screens for gestational diabetes).
Quad screening blood test for congenital disabilities.
Fetal assessments using ultrasound and Doppler transducer.

After birth, your obstetrician monitors your bleeding, bowel and bladder function and checks you for signs of blood clots or other postpartum conditions. They’ll allow you to go home between one and four days later if your recovery is going well.

You’ll see your obstetrician at two or six weeks for a postpartum visit depending on medical issues associated with your pregnancy. During this visit, your healthcare provider will:

Perform a pelvic exam and breast exam (if necessary).
Make sure your uterus has returned to its pre-pregnancy size.
Discuss your bleeding and other symptoms you’ve had during recovery.
Talk to you about postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety.
Determine if you can resume normal activities.
Discuss birth control options and future pregnancies.

How do I choose an obstetrician?

Choosing an obstetrician you feel comfortable with can make your pregnancy and birthing experience more enjoyable. If possible, find an obstetrician or Ob/Gyn before getting pregnant. Ask your friends and family who they recommend or go online to read reviews. Your primary care physician or other healthcare providers can also recommend obstetricians.

Be sure to think about what is important to you during pregnancy and childbirth. Making a checklist may help. Some questions you may want to ask yourself are:

Do I feel comfortable with this healthcare provider? Does my partner?
Does this healthcare provider explain things clearly and answer my questions?
What are this healthcare provider’s views on vaginal delivery, unmedicated birth or other things that are important to me?
Who covers my care if my preferred provider isn’t available?

Some obstetricians or Ob/Gyns are in a group practice. Group practices often want you to see as many healthcare providers as possible for your prenatal care. This is because the obstetrician who is on-call the day you go into labor will deliver your baby. If you have a healthcare provider preference for prenatal visits, some practices can accommodate you. In the case of a scheduled C-section, you may have a greater chance of selecting your obstetrician.

It’s natural to prefer one healthcare provider over another. Remember that all obstetricians are trained and experienced in pregnancy and childbirth and want what’s best for your pregnancy.

Do obstetricians do C-sections?

Yes, your obstetrician received special surgical training to perform C-sections. They can handle any surgical emergencies during delivery.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

An obstetrician specializes in caring for people who are pregnant and delivering babies. They help treat conditions during pregnancy that could affect your or your baby’s health. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions about your pregnancy, your baby and what you can expect during labor and delivery. They’re there to support you and give you and your baby the best care possible. You and your obstetrician both have the shared goal of a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.

What Is an Obstetrician?

Written by Judith Hurley, MS, RD

An obstetrician is a doctor who specializes in pregnancy, childbirth, and a woman's reproductive system. Although other doctors can deliver babies, many women see an obstetrician, also called an OB/GYN. Your obstetrician can take care of you throughout your pregnancy, and give you follow-up care such as annual Pap tests for years to come.

OB/GYNs have graduated from medical school and completed a four-year residency program in obstetrics and gynecology. The residency trains them in pre-pregnancy health, pregnancy, labor and childbirth, health problems after childbirth, genetics, and genetic counseling. A board-certified OB has completed the residency training and passed rigorous written and oral exams.

What Your OB Does

During your pregnancy, your OB will:

Monitor your health and your developing babies' health, including doing routine ultrasounds, measurements, and tests
Check for health conditions that could cause problems during your pregnancy or affect your babies' health, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, infections, and genetic disorders
Advise you about diet, exercise, medications, and staying healthy
Help you cope with morning sickness, back and leg pain, heartburn, and other common pregnancy complaints
Answer your questions about pregnancy and your growing baby
Explain what will happen during labor and delivery

Your OB will also:

Deliver your babies
Monitor your health while you recuperate

How Your OB Works With Your Pregnancy Team

Your OB will play a central role before, during, and after your pregnancy.

OBs work together with nurses, nurse-midwives, physician assistants, and other health professionals to provide your care. You may see these team members during your routine prenatal visits.
Your OB may recommend that you and the dad-to-be attend pregnancy education or childbirth classes led by nurses or childbirth educators.
When the big day arrives, nurses or labor coaches will help you through the hard work of labor, but your OB will monitor your progress and, when the time comes, deliver your babies.
If your OB is in a group practice where the doctors share "on call" duties, another doctor in the group may deliver your babies. Be sure to ask about this when choosing your OB.

Why You Might Need an OB

Family doctors and midwives can also coordinate your pregnancy care, but there are certain situations where it may be important to seek care from an OB:

If you are over 35 years old or have a high-risk pregnancy, you might want to get your prenatal care from an OB.
Some women with high-risk pregnancies benefit from seeing a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, an OB with advanced training in complicated pregnancies.
If a family practice doctor or midwife is providing your pregnancy care, and you develop complications, they will probably consult with or refer you to an OB.

If you are healthy and anticipate a healthy, normal pregnancy, you still may prefer to get your care from an OB.

How to Choose Your OB

When you start your search, ask your doctor for recommendations. You can also ask friends or family if there’s someone they might recommend. The questions below can help you choose the right OB for you.

Does this doctor have a good reputation?
What is this doctor's training and experience?
What is the OB's general approach to pregnancy care and delivery?
Will the OB support the type of delivery I want (elective induction, natural birth, water birth, no pain meds)?
Am I comfortable with the OB's views about when to induce labor or perform a C-section?
What percentage of the OB's patients have C-sections?
What percentage of the OB's patients have episiotomies, and under what circumstances are they performed?
If I want to work with a doula, will the OB support that choice?
How does the OB manage pain during delivery?
Who covers for the OB when they are not available?
If another OB might handle the delivery, can I meet them beforehand?
Does the doctor listen to me and explain things clearly?
Is my spouse or partner comfortable with this doctor?
Is the office staff pleasant and helpful?
Is the office location convenient?
How are emergencies and after-hour calls handled?
What hospital is the OB affiliated with?
Does my insurance cover this doctor's services?

Who's who in the maternity hospital

For starters - a general overview of the "persons involved" from the magazine "RODY. ru".

Obstetrician-gynecologist

The most important person. If the delivery room is seen as a battlefield, then the doctor in charge of childbirth is Napoleon. The “commander”, of course, can cut with a saber himself (that is, make injections) - but, most likely, he will not do this, because his job is to make strategic decisions. You also don’t need to require the doctor to hold your hand for the entire ten hours of labor (and accuse him of inattention if he refuses). The less often you see your doctor, the better, in fact. After all, this suggests that your birth is uncomplicated. With such a development of events, it is enough for a doctor to examine a woman in labor about once every 1–3 hours in order to understand where things are moving and what needs to be done. For example, puncture the fetal bladder to stimulate contractions, or prescribe medication, or call an anesthesiologist for pain relief. Operations such as amniotomy or episiotomy (puncture of the fetal bladder and incision of the perineum) are also performed only by a doctor. nine0005

Without a doctor's order, none of the staff has the right to take any action that may affect the course of childbirth. And this is justified: after all, he will have to answer for everything that the leading obstetrician now says and does, as well as for everything that his team does. After the first examination, while still in the admissions department, he draws up a proposed plan for childbirth and makes the necessary adjustments to it: childbirth is a process that is largely unpredictable, and sometimes surprises. The ability to see and even anticipate the likelihood of developing various complications is also the task of the doctor leading the birth. nine0005

Only a doctor can carry out an internal examination of a woman in labor throughout the birth, as well as after it. If tears or incisions are found, the doctor also sews them up. He also performs more serious operations in case of complications (for example, incomplete separation of the placenta, etc.).

Even after childbirth, the doctor will not leave you without attention. He will definitely appear in the ward on the same day or the next to see how his patient is feeling, to find out if anything is bothering her, and to make recommendations for the future. nine0005

Midwife

Some young mothers seriously insist that the main thing in childbirth is not what kind of doctor, but how experienced the midwife is. There is some truth in this, because most of the manipulations (as directed by the doctor) are performed by this lovely woman.

One midwife in the admission department performs the initial examination, helps the woman in labor with the toilet and registers her in the maternity hospital . Another in the antenatal ward puts droppers and makes injections. But we are interested in the third one - the one that is on duty in the delivery room or boxing. She prepares a chair for attempts and, at the direction of the doctor, puts a CTG sensor. But most importantly, at the time of the birth of the baby, she does everything possible to protect the woman's birth canal from tears and incisions. It is the midwife who receives the baby, carries out its first toilet, processes the umbilical cord, weighs, measures and passes it to the neonatologist for evaluation. nine0005

Anesthetist

An anesthetist is always part of the delivery team, even if the woman refuses pain relief. After all, anything can happen, and the anesthesiologist will have to deploy his equipment to ensure an emergency caesarean section. But it is possible that the woman in labor will not even see her anesthesiologist - if everything goes smoothly and she does not need pain relief either for medical reasons or for personal preferences.

The department where anesthesiologists work is called the department of anesthesiology and resuscitation for a reason. This means that these people can not only anesthetize contractions, but also save both adults and newborns. The presence of a separate children's intensive care unit is a big plus of the maternity hospital, because it means that even very premature or very difficult births can be accepted here. Caring for small, premature and not very healthy babies takes more than one day, and all this time resuscitation specialists are next to them. nine0005

The anesthesiologist never works alone, he is assisted by a nurse anesthetist who fulfills his prescriptions during labor anesthesia or during surgery. Nurses also provide the necessary care for women who are in intensive care after surgery.

During the operation, the doctor is assisted not by the obstetrician of the delivery room, but by the operating nurse. The sterility of the operating room is also her concern. And the operating sisters help the obstetrician-gynecologist to conduct a postpartum examination of the birth canal for injuries and help the doctor during operations to eliminate them. nine0005

Pediatrician (neonatologist)

The neonatologist on duty comes to the birth at the most culminating moment: shortly before the baby is born. The condition of the baby will need to be assessed on the Apgar scale in the first minute of life and five minutes after birth: listen to the heart, breathing, check muscle tone, reflexes and skin color. Based on the observations, the baby is graded (for example, 8/9). If necessary, medical procedures are immediately carried out (clearing the upper respiratory tract from mucus, restoring the normal rhythm of breathing and heartbeat, etc.). nine0005

Since a woman spends another 2 hours after giving birth in the delivery room - doctors and midwives monitor her condition, fearing delayed complications - the baby is most often taken to the children's department for this time. And they bring her to her mother in a special incubator bed for feeding only after the woman is transferred to the postpartum ward. In modern maternity hospitals there are departments "mother-child", in which the joint stay of puerperas with newborns is practiced. In some places, a healthy baby and a healthy mother are not separated at all from the first minutes. nine0005

All the necessary procedures for the care of these children and the prescribed treatment are carried out by the nurses of the children's department. They also help the young mother to solve all the issues related to breastfeeding and caring for the baby.

Resuscitator

Today children's resuscitators work in all maternity hospitals. In large perinatal centers, entire neonatal intensive care units are organized, but even the most remote maternity hospital has one or more specially equipped incubators in which you can support the vital activity of a newborn before he is transferred to a specialized children's hospital. Sometimes a pediatric resuscitator is invited to a complicated natural or operative birth, but his appearance does not mean that the baby will be in intensive care. On the contrary, the resuscitator and neonatologist will make every effort to ensure that the child gets to the physiological department of newborns. nine0005

And now, so to speak, "a fly in the ointment" from the book "How to safely give birth in Russia."

Careful observation of the woman in labor must be established in the antenatal ward. The doctor should monitor her general condition, the frequency and duration of contractions, regularly (every 5–20 minutes) listen to the fetal heartbeat, and also regularly (every 2 hours) measure blood pressure. It should be understood that this is how it should be. In reality, you will face the fact that the midwife and doctor will leave you alone for a long time. You must be prepared for this in advance. If necessary, do not hesitate to call for help and inform your husband or loved ones about what is happening. nine0005

When you go to the maternity hospital , you are, of course, sure that you will be delivered by a doctor. However, in violation of the current legislation in Russian maternity hospitals, deliveries during uncomplicated pregnancies are often performed by a midwife who does not have a higher education. The doctor, on the other hand, controls the process and is connected only in case of difficult situations, and also delivers during a complicated pregnancy and, of course, in cases of your personal agreement with him. But is the midwife able to assess whether your childbirth is complicated after a doctor’s examination or not? nine0005

According to Art. 23 of the Fundamentals of the RF Legislation on the Protection of the Health of Citizens, every woman during pregnancy, during and after childbirth is provided with specialized medical care. In Art. 40 of the same Law says that specialized medical care is provided by specialist doctors in medical institutions that have received a license for medical activities. Thus, medical assistance to a woman during pregnancy, during and after childbirth should be provided by a specialist doctor, and not by a worker with a secondary medical education. This is also confirmed by the disclosure of the concept of "attending physician" in Art. 58 of the said Law: "The attending physician is a doctor who provides medical care to the patient during his observation and treatment in an outpatient or hospital institution." nine0005

So what is the difference between a nurse-midwife who does not have special knowledge and skills and a midwife? Only by the fact that she takes birth in a medical facility and there is a doctor somewhere nearby. We must pay tribute to the midwives: all the work, as well as a large share of the responsibility - from taking delivery to the first toilet of the child - lies with them. What then is the role of the doctor? In drawing up a plan for conducting childbirth, monitoring the situation and writing a map (according to, again, the midwife, because he himself did not take birth). In connection with what such a situation has developed in obstetric hospitals, it is difficult to say, and this should not be of interest to patients who quite legitimately expect to receive highly qualified medical care during childbirth. nine0005

The main function of a midwife should not go beyond the fulfillment of doctor's orders. Moreover, the list of such prescriptions cannot include the official duties of a specialist doctor, such as diagnosing diseases and (or) taking delivery as a type of medical intervention.

The main complaints about the management of childbirth - failure to provide or delayed provision of medical care - are directly related to the described problem. Since even if there is a midwife next to the woman in labor, this may not be enough: after all, in the absence of special knowledge, she cannot correctly diagnose or qualify a complication, while doctors in most cases are not available. nine0021 Remember, in accordance with the law, you have the right to demand the provision of qualified medical assistance!

Happy delivery!

→

On birth and maternity hospitals

Pregnancy and health

Nutrition during pregnancy

breastfeeding

On children

Legal issues during pregnancy and childbirth

General collections of reviews

#EP after cesarean #childbirth with husband for free #PKS #childbirth with fibroids #childbirth with a scar on the uterus #third caesarean nine0005

Note

What to bring to the hospital?

Doctors of Moscow and Moscow Region

Which maternity hospital in Moscow is better? Statistics!

Washing schedule in Moscow

Washing schedule in St. Petersburg

₽Prices for childbirth in maternity hospitals in Moscow

Useful reviews of the month

Maternity hospital of the City Clinical Hospital No. 36 named after F.I. Inozemtsev (Moscow)

90☆☆ ★ rating: 1

Maria → I chose this maternity hospital again, since in 2016 there were separate wards for mothers with children, in 2022, apparently, the floors were changed, now there are separate ante-natal wards, there were two of us in the post-natal ward. About 2016 in short: no matter how long you arrive, they wait 3 days, as a result, green waters, chronic hypnosis...

[full review]

Maternity hospital of S.S. Yudin City Clinical Hospital (former City Clinical Hospital No. 7) (Moscow)

★★★★★ estimate: 5

Julia → My birth was not the easiest, since the baby did not roll over and was in a breech presentation, and it was not entirely clear how the birth of the CS would end or I would be able to give birth myself, I was very tuned in to independent childbirth, and here we want to express our deep gratitude to my husband doctor Kolodina Irina Aleksa. ..

[full review]

how will it be? What do the doctor and midwife of the maternity hospital do. Childbirth in the hospital. Who will help the mother in labor?

Many different specialists work in the maternity hospital, but most of all, a pregnant woman is interested in who exactly from the medical staff will be with her in the maternity unit. Let's talk about the medical specialists who will be there at the crucial moment of childbirth.

Obstetrician-gynecologist: head and assistant

The chief medical specialist in the maternity block is an obstetrician-gynecologist. His job is to make strategic decisions. This means that it is the obstetrician-gynecologist who decides how a woman can give birth, monitors the course of childbirth and the condition of the woman in labor and the child at this time. Without a doctor's order, none of the staff of the maternity unit can make any prescriptions or manipulations that may affect the course of childbirth. And this is justified: after all, it is he who is responsible for everything that the obstetrician-gynecologist prescribes and does in the rodblok. Looking ahead, let's say that the doctor does not directly accept the child during childbirth - this is the work of a midwife. Then what does this specialist do in practice? nine0005

First, the doctor examines the woman in labor, finds out how the pregnancy went, and draws up a plan for the delivery. Then the obstetrician observes the condition of the woman in childbirth, although he is not constantly present with her in the maternity ward. In the first stage of labor, the doctor examines the woman in labor every hour, conducts a vaginal examination in order to assess the birth process, to determine how the baby moves through the birth canal. In addition, the obstetrician-gynecologist evaluates the results of tests, cardiotocography (CTG), monitors the dilatation of the cervix, the nature of labor, and so on. nine0005

Another doctor conducting labor performs manipulations such as amniotomy (puncture of the amniotic sac) or episiotomy (perineal incision). He decides at what point an anesthesiologist is needed, and also prescribes the necessary medications. During the birth of a baby, the doctor is next to the midwife and monitors how she provides obstetric benefits. After the baby is born, the obstetrician-gynecologist records the time of his birth, examines the puerperal and evaluates her condition. In addition, the doctor must observe the signs of placental separation, and after her birth, examines and evaluates her condition and integrity. nine0005

A woman has the right to know what medical procedures she is undergoing. She can always ask a doctor or a midwife what this or that appointment is for and whether it can be replaced with something.

If, during the passage of the baby through the birth canal, tears have formed in the soft tissues of the mother or incisions have been made, the obstetrician-gynecologist applies stitches. He also has to perform more serious operations: for example, with incomplete separation of the placenta. Even after childbirth, the doctor does not leave the mother unattended. He will definitely appear in the ward on the same day or the next to see how his patient is feeling, to find out if anything bothers her, and to give recommendations for the future. nine0005

It is now possible to conclude a contract for the management of childbirth with a personal obstetrician-gynecologist. This means that as early as the 36th week of pregnancy, the expectant mother meets the doctor, discusses the plan of her birth with him, and the doctor, in turn, talks about what and in what sequence will happen during childbirth. This is convenient for both the doctor and the expectant mother, because psychological contact is established between them by the time of childbirth, and this always has a positive effect on the course of childbirth.

Midwife: right hand

A midwife is a nurse in a maternity hospital. Each department of the maternity hospital has its own midwives, and their tasks are different - for example, the midwife of the admission department meets the expectant mother and fills out her documents, conducts an initial examination and helps to perform hygiene procedures (puts an enema, helps with shaving the perineum). Midwives in the pathology or postpartum department also have a lot to do: they usually perform normal nursing duties. But the midwife of the maternity ward has the most important task - to help the woman in childbirth, accept the child and carry out his primary toilet. What is her job? nine0005

The word "midwife" comes from the French accoucheur, which literally translates as "one who stands at the bed", and its modern meaning is an assistant in childbirth.

During childbirth, the midwife, like the doctor, regularly examines the woman in labor, determines how much the cervix has dilated, where the baby's head is. As prescribed by the doctor, the midwife measures blood pressure and pulse, installs a CTG machine. And she can also tell you how to breathe properly or restrain attempts if the cervix is not yet sufficiently open or the fetus's head has not sunk to the pelvic floor. nine0005

During the second stage of labour, after the baby's head has erupted (that is, when the head does not disappear back into the vagina between pushes), the help of a midwife is especially needed. In order to prevent the head from moving forward too quickly and strongly, the midwife helps the woman, thereby protecting her perineum from damage. During the birth of the baby, the midwife gently guides the baby's head, and then, after her birth, helps the baby turn around and release the shoulders.

As soon as the pulsation of the umbilical cord stops, the midwife clamps it and cuts it (if the father of the child is present at the birth, they can entrust him with cutting the umbilical cord). According to tradition, the midwife shows the baby to the mother, asking: "Who was born?". After this, the baby is applied to the mother's breast for some time, and then transferred to the changing table for processing.

The midwife washes the baby with warm water, removing blood, mucus, meconium, and wipes the baby with a warm sterile diaper. Then he processes the umbilical cord: puts a clamp on it, and then a staple. The rest of the umbilical cord is cut off and treated with an antiseptic, then a sterile bandage is applied. While the neonatologist is assessing the condition of the newborn, the midwife, together with the obstetrician-gynecologist, monitors the birth of the placenta, then, if necessary, empties the bladder of the puerperal using a catheter. nine0005

As you can see, the midwife of the maternity ward is really an extra-class professional - she manages to help both mother and baby.

Anesthesiologist: pain control

Each team on duty must include an anesthesiologist and a nurse from the anesthesiology-resuscitation department. They come to the maternity ward if a woman wants to give birth with pain relief. First, the doctor asks the woman about her state of health, examines her, examines the results of examinations, and finds out if she is allergic to any medications. All this is necessary in order to choose the right type of anesthesia and prevent unwanted reactions. nine0005

The anesthesiologist then decides which type of birth control is best to use (in each case individually). An anesthetist nurse helps the doctor: she draws medicine into a syringe, injects it into a vein, and measures blood pressure. Having anesthetized childbirth (most often, epidural anesthesia is done), the anesthesiologist is constantly next to the woman. He monitors how the anesthesia affects the woman in labor (whether the contractions are sufficiently anesthetized), decides when to add the medicine, and when it is already possible to stop the anesthesia. nine0005

Neonatologist: the first children's doctor

Shortly before the birth of a baby, a new character appears in the maternity block - a neonatologist (a pediatrician for newborn children). Immediately after birth, he must listen to the child's heart, breathing, check muscle tone, reflexes and skin color. Based on these observations, the baby is given Apgar scores (for example, 8/9). If necessary, medical procedures are immediately carried out (clearing the upper respiratory tract from mucus, restoring the normal rhythm of breathing and heartbeat).