There are many gynecologic institutes in Chicago that focus on women’s health, ranging from fertility to oncology. But because women’s health is so specific and wide-ranging, each one tends to focus on a specific issue or area. Some gynecologic institutes focus on surgery, whereas others may just be general practice. Most, however, are specialists rather than general ob/gyns. Most exist to correct an existing issue that a woman is undergoing. How do you know what to look for?
In many cases, your doctor may refer you to a gynecologic institute in Chicago, which is where you might begin your journey. If your situation is infertility, a gynecologic institute will examine and test what’s causing your problem, and you may undergo surgery to correct it. In other cases, a cyst or abnormal growth may also be removed and examined, and further treatment prescribed. Or, your situation may be preventative, in which you might undergo a hysterectomy or other removal.
While your doctor may refer you to a gynecologic institute, you should also check out others based on referrals from peers or other physicians. The good news is there are plenty of options in Chicago, the more difficult one is how to go about making the choice. Find out what their specialty is and how many procedures they do successfully each year. Learn what hospital they are affiliated with. Talk to previous patients about their experience and whether they had success with that particular gynecologic institute. At the very least, it is always a good idea to have a second opinion as well on your situation.
If the situation is fertility and surgery is required, it may be for assisted reproductive technology, infertility treatment, or some kind of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery. It may stem from cases of endometriosis or scar tissue left behind as a result of endometriosis treatment. In other cases, it may be related to uterine fibroids, uterine prolapse, excessive bleeding, menorrhagia, cervical and uterine cancer.
Gynecologic surgery is extremely high-tech and intended to be minimally invasive. It’s a good idea to ask what kind of technology the surgeon at the referred gynecologic institute uses to perform the procedure. Smaller incisions help minimize post-surgery issues and recovery, and procedures may be even more precise. You can ask a few physicians at different gynecologic institutes around Chicago for their opinion about different types of surgical procedures and which they would suggest.
In addition, if you’re still of child-bearing age and wish to consider fertility preservation, talk to your doctor about options and when a good time to undergo that before your surgery.