Gynecologists
Gynecologists are doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating problems of the female reproductive system. This specialization often comes paired with obstetrics, which is the medical care of a woman during gestation. OB/GYNs also are concerned with health maintenance in women, contraceptive and birth control options, sexually transmitted disease prevention and treatment, sexual concerns and questions, and cancers of the female reproductive system. It is typical for a female to see a gynecologist annually for preventative exams and birth control needs. These visits can start in the teens or twenties and go through until the female reaches menopause. Some OB/GYNs also serve as a general practitioner to their patients. The organs of the female reproductive system that a gynecologist should have expanded knowledge for treating are the uterus, ovaries, vagina, fallopian ducts, and mammary glands. Annual exams provide the best way of detecting problems such as cancer in these organs.
Doctors make mistakes just like anyone else. The area of provider error where mistakes are most prevalent, be they a gynecologist or ANY type of doctor, is with medication. The wrong drug can be prescribed, or the right drug with the wrong dosage. Gynecologists, like all doctors, must be familiar with their patients’ medical histories to prevent prescribing drugs that can have adverse reactions to drugs patients are already taking. Oral contraceptives do not come without risks of causing blood clots. Some brands have worse occurrences of clot formation than others. Gynecologists should be up to date on their product knowledge and guide a patient away from drugs with adverse reactions. Also, contraindications have to be known by the physician to warn patients of possible complications.
Recently, gynecologists have done surgeries on women to help with urinary incontinence and/or pelvic organ prolapse. A faulty transvaginal mesh or bladder sling was used to help hold organs in place in some women. The mesh is failing and has caused women to:
- Experience severe pain and pressure
- Experience urine leakage
- Have bowel problems
- Vaginal drainage and infections
- Additional surgery to fix the initial problem in addition to the complications caused by the mesh.
In these instances, a patient may have a surgical error medical malpractice case, or a product-related injury case.
Some patients make the assumption that doctors are infallible or know best and do not question procedures or treatments. This leaves room for providers to recommend unnecessary treatments or surgeries. Another possibility of provider negligence can be the doctor simply failing to treat an actual problem or misdiagnosing if they view the patient as a hypochondriac.
If you believe that you or a loved one suffered a worsening of a medical condition or a death under the care of a gynecologist, you may be eligible for damages. Contact the Sweeney Law Firm so we can review the facts. You may have a gynecology medical provider malpractice case. If we accept your case, there is no cost for representation unless a settlement or fund recovery is made on your behalf.