The Job of a Labor & Delivery Doctor

by Jennifer Alyson

Special deliveries come every day for the doctors who specialize in pregnancy and childbirth. Obstetricians and gynecologists, or OB/GYNs, provide many varieties of health care to women, but people know them best as the docs on hand during labor and delivery. As of May 2011, the nation had 20,540 OB/GYNs helping moms enjoy healthy pregnancies and bringing babies into the world. They earned an annual average income of $218,610, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.


Obstetricians and gynecologists play a vital role in promoting healthy pregnancies. They meet with expectant moms beginning at their seventh to ninth week of pregnancy, when they take a detailed medical history and offer general information about what to expect in the next seven months. OB/GYNs meet with pregnant patients regularly until birth, from once a month to once a week, depending on how far along a patient is. For patients with health problems, such as high blood pressure or gestational diabetes, OB/GYNs schedule more frequent appointments to watch for potential complications. In addition to performing routine checkups, OB/GYNs counsel moms-to-be on food safety, vitamin supplements and warning signs of a problem pregnancy. OB/GYNs also order and interpret tests such as glucose-challenge tests -- to look for pregnancy-related diabetes, blood panels, amniocentesis, ultrasounds and strep screenings. Some OB/GYNs, called perinatologists, specialize in high-risk pregnancies.


OB/GYNs are on call and must come to the hospital when a patient’s labor contractions become very painful or occur every five minutes or less. During labor, they recommend pain medications and regularly check the baby’s heart rate and other vitals for signs of fetal distress. If a mother is past due, or if she experiences complications during delivery, her OB/GYN may medically induce labor to speed up birth. If a Caesarean section is necessary, the OB/GYN performs the surgery.


The responsibilities continue after delivery. OB/GYNs monitor a new mom’s physical and mental well-being during her hospital stay, typically for two to four days. After discharge, OB/GYNs are on call for new moms who have post-birth complications, such as excessive bleeding, unusual pain or postpartum depression. Six weeks after birth, OB/GYNs perform a postpartum checkup to make sure the mother is healing properly and has no lingering pregnancy-related health issues.

Other Care

OB/GYNs don’t focus on pregnancy and childbirth alone. They also diagnose and treat women’s health issues, including breast and cervical cancers, hormonal disorders and symptoms of menopause. OB/GYNs order routine tests such as Pap smears for cervical cancer, and they keep patients’ medical histories updated. Plus, they prescribe medications and therapies to treat diseases of the female reproductive system. For patients who need additional care, such as radiation therapy for breast cancer, OB/GYNs provide referrals and consult on care protocols with other doctors. Some states also allow OB/GYNs to act as primary care providers for women. In that role, OB/GYNs advise patients on general lifestyle issues such as diet, exercise and prevention.


A career as an OB/GYN requires education, credentials and skills. Start with a bachelor’s degree, with coursework in biology, chemistry, physics, math and English. Medical school follows, beginning with two years in laboratories and classrooms studying anatomy, biochemistry, pharmacology, and legal and ethical issues. Medical school students spend another two years working with patients in a rotation of specialties including obstetrics and gynecology. After medical school, OB/GYNs must complete a four-year residency and obtain certification through the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. To practice, doctors also need a state medical license. In addition, OB/GYNs must have communications skills to consult with patients and other doctors, empathy to understand patients’ concerns, reasoning skills to spot and solve medical problems, and physical strength and motor skills to help with deliveries.

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