A professional who treats women during prenatal, natal, and postnatal periods. Responsibilities include:

• Examines patient to ascertain condition, utilizing physical findings, laboratory results, and patient's statements as diagnostic aids.
• Determines need for modified diet and physical activities, and recommends plan.
• Periodically examines patient, prescribing medication or surgery, if indicated.
• Delivers infant, and cares for mother for prescribed period of time following childbirth.
• Performs cesarean section or other surgical procedure as needed to preserve patient's health and deliver infant safely.
• May treat patients for diseases of generative organs (gynecologist ).