Obstetrics

What is obstetrics?

Obstetrics is a medical specialty that focuses on the needs of pregnant women and their developing babies. Obstetricians can help you prepare your body for pregnancy, provide prenatal care, and help you deliver your baby.

Your obstetrician is also a valuable resource during your pregnancy. Your doctor can answer your questions and let you know what to expect as your pregnancy progresses.

The obstetricians at Sarasota OB/GYN Associates help you have a safe labor and delivery and provide the immediate tests your baby needs when it’s born. 

What services are included in obstetrics?

The obstetricians at Sarasota OB/GYN Associates offer comprehensive obstetrics services throughout your pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum.

Prenatal check-ups

Sarasota OB/GYN Associates provides routine prenatal check-ups and testing, such as ultrasounds, and high-risk services and screenings. 

You see your obstetrician once a month for the first 28 weeks of pregnancy, then every other week until your 36th week, then once a week until your baby is born. Your obstetrician can schedule additional appointments or testing if necessary.

Labor and delivery

Sarasota OB/GYN Associates has years of experience delivering babies. They can help you create your delivery plan and offer vaginal births, cesarean section delivery, and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). 

They support you throughout your delivery and can take charge at the earliest sign of a complication to protect you and your baby.

Postpartum care

After your baby is born, you have follow-up appointments with your obstetrician to ensure that you recover as expected. Sarasota OB/GYN Associates can provide referrals to lactation specialists and other support you might need as a new mother. 

They can also collaborate with neonatal specialists to monitor your new baby’s health and development.

When should I call my obstetrician when I start labor?

During prenatal visits in your final weeks of pregnancy, you and your obstetrician review the signs of labor and what to do when your labor starts. 

Contractions are a key indicator of labor. Typically, your contractions are gentle to begin with and there’s plenty of time between them. 

In most cases, you should call your obstetrician when your contractions occur every 5-7 minutes. You should also head to your hospital or delivery center at this time. 

For compassionate, customized obstetrics services, call Sarasota OB/GYN Associates or make an appointment online today.