Patient Education

At Highland OB/GYN, we're committed to excellence in every aspect of the care we provide, including education of our patients when it comes to understanding themselves and procedures performed.

OBSTETRICS

At Highland OB/GYN, we are keenly aware of the special needs of our obstetric patients
and their partners. Our expertise includes normal and high-risk pregnancies. We believe
in individualizing care since each pregnancy is special and unique.

Deliveries are done at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. At CFVMC, there is 24 hour
anesthesia availability for epidural placement or emergency cesarean section. Cape Fear
also has a neonatal intensive care unit should the need arise.

We perform in office ultrasounds. Some high risk patients may be scheduled with the
local perinatologist for more detailed ultrasound or genetics counseling.





MIDWIFERY

Our midwife can take care of you both in the office setting as well as the hospital. We
are committed to your particular needs without sacrificing prudent medical interventions.
We understand that many women prefer to labor naturally, minimizing the use of
medications. In appropriate circumstances, we encourage women to walk, rock or
shower in labor while monitoring the baby at intervals.






WELL WOMEN ANNUAL EXAMINATIONS

Both midwives and physicians provide routine annual screening and preventative visits.
Each year, every woman should have a Pap smear and a mammogram after age 40. We
provide the latest in technology including liquid based Pap tests and HPV testing in
appropriate cases. HPV Test

INFERTILITY

Couples who have been trying to get pregnant for one year or more (six months if the
woman is 35 or older) may wish to consider evaluation and if necessary treatment for
infertility. Treatment options may include oral medications, fertility injections and
intrauterine insemination.
www.acog.com






ABNORMAL PAP AND HPV EVALUATION AND PREVENTION

Cervical cancer should be a completely preventable disease. We firmly believe that
appropriate screening and evaluation of abnormal PAP Test has one of the greatest
advances of womens health in the 20th century. Using our digital video colposcope
http://www.mayoclinic.com we advance woment's health into the 21st century. In addition,
HPV immunization is available and strongly recommended. http://www.gardasil.com/

OSTEOPORIOSIS SCREENING AND TREATMENT

Osteoporosis http://www.nof.ogrg/osteoporosis/index.htm affects nearly one half of
women by age 60. Loss of bone density is a "silent disease" since there are no signs or symtpoms.
Women at risk for osteoporosis should be screened using the state of the art DEXA machine.

Are you at increased risk for osteoporosis? http://www.nof.org/prevention/risk.htm


MENOPAUSE

As our population ages, more women than ever will be living an increasing number of years
past menopause. There is considerable information regarding menopausal treatments.
We will discuss on an indvidual basis, what options are available for your symptons.
Hormone replacement, complementary medication, bioidentical hormones and non-hormonal
treatments are all in our arsenal.
http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp047.cfm


ADOLESCENT GYNECOLOGY

It is now recommended that adolescents have their first visit with a gynecologist between ages
13 and 15. While it is usually not necessary to perform a Pap test or pelvic exam at that age,
there are unique needs for adolescent girls best addressed by a gynecologist or midwife.
http://ww.acog.org


URINARY INCONTINENCE AND PELVIC PROLAPSE

Nearly one third of all women will have urinary incontinence at some point in their lives. Stress urinary
incontinence http://www.whatshappeningdownthere.com/sui/index.htm may be treated conservatively
with biofeedback or Kegel excercises http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/kegel-excercises/WO00119
or surgically. http://www.bostonscientific.com Some women do not have any incontinence but have
prolapse that might need to be treated. www.acog.org

MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY


Today, there is a greater demand on minimizing pain, scarring and postoperative recovery
time. Dr Schutzer performs advanced laparoscopic procedures both at Cape Fear Valley
and the Fayetteville Ambulatory Surgery Center. Some procedures such as hysteroscopy
to evaluate infertility, abnormal bleeding or abnormal pelvic ultrasound can be performed
in the office. www.acog.com





HYSTERECTOMY AND ALTERNATIVES TO HYSTERECTOMY

Hysterectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures performed on women.
There have been tremendous advances to minimize recovery time in appropriate
candidates. www.lshinfo.com In addition, some women can be treated with less
invasive therapies that do not require hysterectomy.
http://www.bostonscientific.com
If you have heavy bleeding, pass clots during your cycle or have periods that last longer
than 7 days you may be a candidate for one of these treatments.






CONTRACEPTION AND IN-OFFICE STERILIZATION

We are happy to discuss available birth control. We are proud to offer a wide range of
contraceptive options including pills, patches, intrauterine devices
http://www.mirena-us.com, Implanon sub dermal contraception http://www.implanonusa.com and
injections.

For those of you considering permanent contraception we offer both outpatient
laparoscopic sterilization and in-office Essure tubal sterilization. The Essure procedure
http://www.essure.com/ can be done in the office with no recovery time associated with
the procedure and avoid the need for an incision and a trip to the operating room.

Referenced Links:

www.acog.org
http://www.implanonusa.com
http://www.essure.com
http://www.mirena-us.com
http://www.bostonscientific.com
www.lshinfo.com
http://www.thehpvtest.com
PAP