What They Do
A gynecologist is a physician who specializes in the health of the female reproductive system, while an obstetrician specializes specifically in pregnancy, childbirth, and the period immediately following delivery. In practice, most physicians in this field train in both areas together, commonly referred to as an OB-GYN.
What They Treat
Gynecologists manage a wide range of conditions affecting the female reproductive system, including menstrual disorders, fertility-related concerns, and conditions affecting the uterus, ovaries, and cervix. As obstetricians, they also manage prenatal care throughout pregnancy, oversee labor and delivery, and provide care in the period following childbirth. Many also perform related surgical procedures, ranging from minor in-office procedures to major surgery.
Training Path
Becoming an OB-GYN requires completing a medical degree, followed by dedicated residency training that combines both gynecology and obstetrics. Some OB-GYNs go on to complete further fellowship training in a specific subspecialty, such as maternal-fetal medicine, which focuses on higher-risk pregnancies, reproductive endocrinology and infertility, or gynecologic oncology.
When to See One
People commonly see a gynecologist for routine reproductive health checkups, menstrual concerns, or fertility-related evaluation, and see an obstetrician for care throughout pregnancy, from early prenatal visits through delivery and postpartum follow-up.
Background
Obstetrics and gynecology developed as related but historically somewhat distinct fields before becoming more formally integrated into a single combined specialty over the course of the 20th century. This period also saw major advances in the safety of childbirth and in surgical techniques for gynecological conditions, considerably improving outcomes for both mothers and infants compared to earlier eras of medicine.