Obstetric

Obstetric is an adjective relating to obstetrics, the medical specialty that deals with pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. The term is used to describe care, conditions, and procedures connected with these stages.

Obstetrics encompasses prenatal care, labor and delivery, and postpartum follow-up. It includes screening for maternal and fetal conditions, monitoring fetal development, and managing complications such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, placenta previa, and ectopic pregnancy.

Practitioners include obstetricians — physicians who specialize in obstetrics and gynecology — along with nurse-midwives, other obstetric care providers, and family physicians with obstetric training. Multidisciplinary teams coordinate to plan safe pregnancy and delivery.

Common obstetric procedures and interventions include induction of labor, augmentation of labor, cesarean delivery, and assisted vaginal delivery. Other focus areas include management of labor complications, pain relief, and monitoring fetal well-being with ultrasound and fetal heart rate monitoring.

Education and certification typically involve medical school followed by a residency in obstetrics and gynecology, with subspecialization options such as maternal-fetal medicine, reproductive endocrinology, or obstetric anesthesia.

Historically, obstetrics has evolved from midwifery into a hospital-based specialty with evidence-based guidelines. Global health concerns emphasize reducing maternal mortality and expanding access to comprehensive prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal care.