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The word obstetrics was derived from a Latin word obstare, meaning to stand by, or to opstare meaning to render aid, and obstetrix, meaning the woman who stands by. But it was only during the early 18th century when midwives are there to provide assistance and care to pregnant women during pregnancy and childbirth. And it was during the 19th century when obstetrics became as a medical specialty, a branch of medicine that deals on the surgical specialty that deals with the care of a woman during pregnancy and her offspring.
This kind of medical practice is also certified in gynecology, which caters a wide range of problems that includes reproductive system and sometimes referred to as maternal fetal medicine specialist on special cases like high-risk pregnancy. Ideally speaking, obstetrical care begins with the counseling of a woman; like dealing with pregnancy stress, assessment of lifestyle, vitamin recommendations as well as general advices about maintaining healthy habits. After that consultation, the pregnant woman is scheduled to have a series of test such as blood typing in preparation for possible blood transfusion and to determine incompatibilities between the mother’s blood and the baby. Other test includes screening for infectious diseases, specialized text to monitor the fetus health, genetic testing and ultra sound.
An obstetrician may need various types of obstetrical tools to ensure the safety of the fetus and to speed up the procedure. Like for example a biopsy punches, this is used for cutting and removing a disk of tube. Other tools such as endocervical curettes are used to take tissue samples from the cervix, a grasping forceps on the other hand are used to remove stones and retrieve unknown objects under direct vision, Falope ring is a silicon rubber that is fitted around a loop of the fallopian tube for female sterilization and colposcopy is another obstetric tool that is used for visual examination of the cervix, a relatively simple and painless procedure to determine that cause of abnormalities found in Pap smears.
Other obstetrical tools includes breast pump, obstetrical refractors, vaginoscope, vacuum extractors, pelvimeters, silastic bands, umbilical tapes, umbilical cord clamps, hysteroscopic equipment, endometrial equipment, spermokinesemeter, laparoscopic equipment, uterine curettes, vaginal specula, surgical electrodes, cannulas, catheters, biopsy punches, surgical forceps, laparotomy rings, dressing forceps, and other important tools. So surf up and be informed on the latest obstetrical instruments and other related topics.