Most of my patients know that my last day of practice will be September 30th, since I began early this year notifying you at your annual exam. I am very glad that I decided to do this. It has given me a chance to share memories with many of you whom I’ve cared for through years, decades, and sometimes generations. I’ve shared both joyous and challenging moments with you and your families. I cannot thank you enough for your trust in my care, and for your kind words as I pass that care on to my wonderful partners…

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Will your summer travel plans include a mission trip, a cruise, or other foreign travel? Will you have a student studying in a foreign country? Even if you’re travelling within the U.S., a few health-related items should be included on your planning checklist…

Spotting or bleeding between periods does happen occasionally. Most of the time, it does not signal a health problem. Still, it is inconvenient, and most women want to know what is going on.

There are definitely situations where spotting or irregular bleeding should not be ignored. You should consult your ob-gyn if…

The top nutrition/diet concerns we hear from you at your well-woman visits include weight management and bone health (calcium and vitamin D). Occasionally we answer questions about dietary or weight loss supplements. We usually recommend that the best source of the nutrients you need each day is a well-balanced diet! (Read Dr. Stradtman’s past blog about dietary supplements).

We realize, however, that a woman’s typical diet—even when she tries to eat well—may not be meeting the special nutritional needs she has at certain times in her life. Besides calcium and vitamin D (discussed…

An episiotomy—the small surgical incision made to enlarge the vaginal opening shortly before a baby is delivered—was not a commonly accepted birth procedure until the twentieth century.  But by mid-century, over half of vaginal deliveries included an episiotomy. The idea was that making a small incision would reduce the risk of a large spontaneous tear in the tissues surrounding the vagina (the perineum) as the infant’s head delivered.

As physicians, we want to offer our patients only medical interventions that—based on solid evidence—actually benefit them. By the 1980s, we began to realize that the…

As ObGyn physicians, most of the care we provide on an urgent basis involves pregnancy and childbirth. For gynecologic problems, we more typically provide medical treatment at an office visit or surgery, if necessary, at a planned time in the future. But this is not always the case. Certain conditions in gynecology represent true emergencies, requiring immediate treatment to prevent long term consequences and even loss of life. We want our patients to be aware of the signs of these more urgent problems.

As you would expect, gynecologic problems generally manifest themselves with pain and/or abnormal bleeding. Most women…