Obstetric Medicine

What is an Obstetric Medicine Physician?

Obstetric Medicine Physicians are doctors who care for women with medical problems in pregnancy, post-pregnancy and increasingly, in the time before a woman starts trying to fall pregnant. Some of these medical problems can occur before a woman falls pregnant, or are found in early pregnancy and others develop as the pregnancy progresses.

Most medical disorders have the potential to affect the unborn baby – this can be because of the effects of the medical problem itself, or medications being used for the problem will need to be changed to prevent harm to the baby. Obstetric Medicine Physicians are specialist doctors who undergo extra training to be able to comprehensively provide this care alongside obstetricians, midwives and general practitioners.

 Some common conditions that women who are planning to fall pregnant face are:

• Diabetes

• Hypertension (High blood pressure)

• Thyroid disease

• Asthma

Some common conditions that can develop in pregnancy are:

• Venous thromboembolism (blood clots) in the lungs or legs

• Fatty liver of pregnancy

• Cholestasis of pregnancy

• Pre-eclampsia

These conditions can all be cared for by an obstetric medicine physician.