To display this page you need a browser with JavaScript support. Health Care Services - Obstetrical Associates, Inc.
 
 

Routine & Problem Gynecology Services: Your First Visit To The Gynecologist
Gynecology is the branch of medicine specializing in women's healthcare. A gynecologist is a doctor with special skills, training and education in women's healthcare, who provides care to women from adolescence through the childbearing years to menopause and beyond. In addition, a gynecologist offers preventive healthcare, such as exams and routine tests that look for problems before you are sick.

Menopausal Symptoms Management:
Menopause is a natural part of life and does not necessarily require treatment. Symptoms and health risks associated with low estrogen can be treated. These include hot flashes, irritability, and an increased risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. Treatment may include:

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
A number of different types of hormones are available. They include natural, synthetic, and plant-derived estrogens and progesterone, combinations of estrogen and progesterone, or the addition of small amounts of male hormones. Hormone preparations are available as tablets, gels, skin patches, vaginal rings, injections, and pellets inserted into the skin.

Phytoestrogens
A high intake of phytoestrogens may help menopausal women. They may reduce the risk for diseases associated with estrogen. Phytoestrogens are found in soybeans, black cohosh, whole grains, legumes, and flax seed.

Healthful diet
A healthful diet during menopause can improve a woman's sense of well-being. It may also reduce the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and certain cancers. The diet should be low in fat and high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, calcium, and vitamin D.

Limit caffeine and alcohol
Cutting back on caffeine and alcohol may reduce symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, and loss of calcium.

Quit smoking
Giving up smoking can reduce the risk of early menopause, heart disease, and osteoporosis.

Regular exercise
Regular exercise may reduce hot flashes. Weight-bearing exercises such as walking, climbing stairs, or lifting weights help to strengthen the bones and decrease the risk of osteoporosis.

Stress management
Stress management may help ease tension, anxiety, and possibly other menopausal symptoms. Deep breathing, massage, warm baths, and quiet music are examples of relaxation techniques.

Over-the-counter products
Moisturizers and lubricants are used to help vaginal dryness. Some women claim that vitamin E decreases the incidence of hot flashes, although this has not been proven.

Nonhormonal medications
Bellergal is sometimes prescribed to relieve hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. Certain blood pressure medicines have been moderately helpful in relieving some menopausal symptoms. These medicines include clonidine (Catapres) and methyldopa (Aldomet).

Evaluation & Treatment of Urinary Incontinence: more information
Female urinary incontinence (UI) is a condition with severe economic and psychosocial impact.

Prenatal, Obstetrical, and Postpartum Care: more information
The person you choose for your obstetrical care can have a major influence on how satisfied you are with your pregnancy experience. You may have a doctor or midwife in mind before you become pregnant, and your friends undoubtedly will pass along recommendations. But your needs and expectations may not be the same as those of your friends. And your needs may change during your pregnancy.
Before choosing your caregiver, consider all of your options — family physicians, obstetricians, certified nurse-midwives and perinatologists. And remember, no matter what type of obstetrical caregiver you choose, the goal is the same — healthy mothers having healthy babies.
                                                

Infertility Program:
Our infertility clinic has an excellent success rate, with more than 50% of our patients resulting in positive pregnancies. Infertility is an emotional issue that requires specialized care. We take a personalized approach and build strong relationships with our patients. The majority of couples who seek medical attention for infertility are able to conceive using the relatively simple or "low-tech" procedures such as Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and injectables while less than 5% need more sophisticated, Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART).

Interested in learning more?
Call or at 508-646-6704.

Ultrasound:
Obstetric Ultrasound is the use of ultrasound scans in pregnancy. Since its introduction in the late 1950’s ultrasonography has become a very useful diagnostic tool in Obstetrics.
Currently used equipments are known as real-time scanners, with which a continuous picture of the moving fetus can be depicted on a monitor screen. Very high frequency sound waves of between 3.5 to 7.0 megahertz (i.e. 3.5 to 7 million cycles per second) are generally used for this purpose.

Laboratory Services:
The laboratory provides thousands of different diagnostic tests from a standard blood count to the new generation of more complex tests.

 
Mammography Services:
Mammography is a specific type of imaging that uses a low-dose x-ray system for examination of the breasts. The images of the breasts can be viewed on film at a view box or as soft copy on a digital mammography work station. Most medical experts agree that successful treatment of breast cancer often is linked to early diagnosis. Mammography plays a central part in early detection of breast cancers because it can show changes in the breast up to two years before a patient or physician can feel them. Current guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the American Cancer Society (ACS), the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) recommend screening mammography every year for women, beginning at age 40.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) adds that women who have had breast cancer and those who are at increased risk due to a genetic history of breast cancer should seek expert medical advice about whether they should begin screening before age 40 and about the frequency of screening.

Breast Cancer:more information
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in the United States. While breast cancer most commonly occurs later in life, it can occur early in womanhood and research suggests that it develops and progresses over the course of a lifetime. Therefore, it is important that women of all ages are educated on the subject.

 

 
          back to top              
Copyright © Obstetrical Associates, Inc. 2004. All Rights Reserved