An obstetrician is a medical expert that provides specialised medical care during pregnancy and birth. You might choose to contact a private obstetrician or ask for a referral from your physician to see one. In most cases, you only see an obstetrician when you are faced with a medical complication. However, obstetricians can also care for a woman and their baby post-pregnancy.

Obstetricians typically deal with the most important health issues in your life related to pregnancy. This can include birth control information, menopause advice and also help you screen for cancer and treat infections. These are some of the leading causes of maternal mortality. A lack of care offered to pregnant women is actually causing a slight rise in maternal mortality rates across the country. As such, it’s important that we become more vigilant when it comes to taking good care of our health and identifying complications as soon as possible.

We suggest finding a good obstetrician or asking for a referral from your doctor when you discover that you are pregnant. In addition to offering post and pre-pregnancy care, they can also help you cope with personal and sensitive health issues. While it can be daunting to see an obstetrician for the first time, they are essential if you want to have an uncomplicated and stress-free pregnancy.

We’ve added an infographic below that sheds more light on the rising maternal mortality rates and what you can do to improve your chances of a successful pregnancy.

Infographic by Bradley University