outline of obstetrics outline of obstetrics the following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to obstetrics: obstetrics – medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy (prenatal period), childbirth and the postnatal period. what is obstetrics? obstetrics can be described as all of the following: medicine – medicine is the science and art of healing. it encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness in human beings. medical specialty – branch of medical science. after completing medical school, physicians or surgeons usually further their medical education in a specific specialty of medicine by completing a multiple year residency to become a medical specialist. academic discipline – in addition to being a medical specialty, obstetrics is the study of the reproductive process within the female body, including fertilization, pregnancy and childbirth. history of obstetrics childbirth and obstetrics in antiquity medical history gravidity and parity pregnancy and childbirth pregnancy childbirth family planning family planning birth control contraception pre-conception counseling female reproductive anatomy amniotic fluid amniotic sac amnion cervix endometrium fallopian tube ovaries pelvis pelvic bone width placenta uterus – also called a womb. vagina conception human fertilization assisted reproductive technology artificial insemination fertility medication in vitro fertilisation fertility awareness unintended pregnancy testing pregnancy test 3d ultrasound home testing obstetric ultrasonography prenatal testing prenatal development prenatal development fundal height gestational age human embryogenesis maternal physiological changes prenatal care prenatal care – regular medical and nursing care recommended for women during pregnancy. also known as antenatal care. prenatal nutrition maternal nutrition nutrition and pregnancy concomitant conditions diabetes mellitus and pregnancy systemic lupus erythematosus and pregnancy prenatal monitoring amniocentesis chorionic villus sampling cardiotocography nonstress test childbirth childbirth preparation for childbirth adaptation to extrauterine life bradley method of natural childbirth hypnobirthing lamaze technique nesting instinct roles during childbirth doula midwife mother – a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that united with a sperm which grew into a child. during childbirth, she is the patient. perinatal nursing men's role in childbirth obstetrician delivery pelvimetry bishop score cervical dilation cervical effacement position home birth multiple birth natural childbirth unassisted childbirth water birth aspects and conditions bloody show childbirth positions contraction presentation breech birth cephalic presentation shoulder presentation rupture of membranes postpartum issues postpartum child care breastfeeding congenital disorders sex after pregnancy complications of pregnancy and childbirth complications of pregnancy ( list) abortion abruption breech birth cephalo-pelvic disproportion caesarean section, cesarean section, c-section dermatoses of pregnancy specific skin conditions during pregnancy diabetes eclampsia ectopic pregnancy gestational diabetes group b streptococcus infection hellp syndrome hypertension hysterectomy intrauterine growth restriction (iugr) macrosomia (big baby) malpractice miscarriage or stillbirth obstetric fistula obstetric hemorrhage pelvic girdle pain placenta praevia pre-eclampsia premature birth, preterm labor or prematurity small for gestational age (sga) uterine rupture uterine incarceration obstetrics organizations american association of gynecologic laparoscopists american congress of obstetricians and gynecologists british pregnancy advisory service british society of urogynaecologists european society of gynaecological oncology fogsi gynecologic oncology group ipas (organization) society of obstetricians and gynaecologists of pakistan society of obstetricians and gynaecologists of canada world endometriosis research foundation obstetrics publications acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica african journal of reproductive health american journal of obstetrics and gynecology climacteric (journal) the european journal of contraception & reproductive health care gynecological endocrinology human fertility (cambridge) human reproduction (journal) hypertension in pregnancy international journal of fertility journal of human reproductive sciences journal of maternal-fetal and neonatal medicine journal of obstetrics and gynaecology journal of psychosomatic obstetrics & gynecology menopause (journal) obstetrics & gynecology (journal) placenta (journal) reproduction (journal) reproductive sciences systems biology in reproductive medicine women & health persons influential in obstetrics edward kowalski