Residency life in OBG isn’t easy — long duties, surgeries, ward rounds, and then trying to study for NEET SS or DNB exams on top of it all. If that sounds like your daily struggle, here’s some good news. This Diwali, give your learning a fresh start with Conceptual OBG — a platform created especially for residents who want solid concepts, strong clinical sense, and exam confidence.
And the best part? This festive season brings the Saal Ka Sabse Bada Discount – a once-a-year offer you really shouldn’t miss!
Diwali Dhamaka Offer – Saal Ka Sabse Bada Discount!
This festive season, make your residency journey brighter with the biggest discount of the year:
Flat ₹12,000 OFF + 3 Months Free Extension 👉👉Use Code: ECBLOG Valid from 3rd Oct 12:00 AM to 23rd Oct 11:59 PM
No hidden terms. No tricks. Just pure value — straight from the team that genuinely wants you to learn better.
Highlight of Conceptual OBG:
Learn What Actually Matters
At Conceptual OBG, the focus is simple — to help you become a confident, clinically sharp obstetrician and gynaecologist.
You’ll get everything you need: from hands-on clinical skills and surgical training videos to live classes and exam revision modules, all designed and taught by Dr. Raina Chawla and a team of experienced faculty who understand what residency truly demands.
Build Strong Clinical Skills
Medicine changes fast, but the basics never go out of style.
That’s why Conceptual OBG helps you polish your core clinical skills through live patient demos and mannequin-based sessions — exactly what every resident needs before stepping into real OT or labour rooms.
From Episiotomy to Laparoscopy – Learn It All
Whether you’re learning to suture an episiotomy, assist in a laparoscopic hysterectomy, or understand modern advances, you’ll find it all here.
The surgical video library is detailed, practical, and made to help you learn step-by-step — perfect for beginners as well as final-year residents.
Lectures That Don’t Feel Like Lectures
Long day at work? Don’t worry — these sessions are designed to feel light and engaging, not like another classroom burden.
With a perfect mix of pre-recorded and live lectures, Conceptual OBG covers everything from fundamentals to recent guidelines, including quick-access revision tools for OSCEs, instruments, drugs, and spotters right before exams.
This Diwali, Choose Growth Over Stress
Residency can be overwhelming, but the right guidance can change everything. Conceptual OBG helps you connect clinical understanding with real-world application — exactly what you need to excel in MS/DNB and NEET SS.
So don’t wait for “someday.” Make this your moment.
👉👉Apply the code ECBLOG, grab the ₹12,000 discount + 3 months free, and begin your journey with Conceptual OBG today.
Because this Diwali isn’t just about lights, it’s about lighting up your future.
A retained placenta isn’t just an inconvenience; it can be a life-threatening situation if not anticipated and managed early. It’s one of those scenarios where a missed history, a missed scar, or a delayed decision can change the entire outcome for both mother and baby.
In this blog, we’ll break down the key risk factors, share a real-life case that highlights the importance of thorough history-taking, and give you practical clinical tips you can apply in labour rooms and theatres.
Understanding the Placenta & Retained Placenta
The placenta is a temporary but essential organ formed during pregnancy. It provides oxygen and nutrients to the baby, takes away waste products, and produces crucial hormones. In normal circumstances, after delivery, the uterus tightens and the placenta separates spontaneously within 30 minutes.
But if the placenta does not deliver fully or even partially within 30 minutes postnatally, it’s referred to as a retained placenta. This is not a mere delay — it can result in catastrophic postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), infection, and higher maternal morbidity if it is not identified and treated early.
1) Risk Factors Related to Poor Uterine Contraction (Uterine Atony)
When the uterus doesn’t contract properly after delivery, the placenta often refuses to separate. Some common triggers are:
High parity — overstretched uterine muscle
Prolonged or excessive oxytocin use → receptor fatigue leading to atony
Multiple gestation / uterine over-distension
General uterine atonicity — remember, atony can cause both PPH and retained placenta.
Clinical insight: Epidural analgesia has been loosely linked to impaired uterine tone. While not a documented risk factor, don’t ignore it completely in suspicious cases.
2) Risk Factors Related to Abnormal Placentation
Sometimes, the placenta adheres too firmly to the uterine wall, making separation tricky or impossible:
IVF conceptions — higher risk of abnormal implantation
Low-lying placenta or previa
Any prior intervention that alters the endometrial–myometrial interface
Remember: Even in primary patients with no previous cesarean, morbid adherence can happen if there’s a hidden surgical history.
3) Other Important Risk Factors
Preterm deliveries — incomplete placental maturity may lead to retention
Congenital uterine anomalies
Previous history of retained placenta or manual removal
Past PPH events — always ask about manual separation or heavy bleeding during previous deliveries.
A Real Case That Changed Our Approach
At AIIMS, we once managed a patient with a high-risk pregnancy who presented with pre-viable PPROM. She was a primary patient, highly educated, and under close monitoring. At 26 weeks, an emergency cesarean was performed — unfortunately, the baby couldn’t be saved due to extreme prematurity.
But here’s where the case became a teaching point: We later discovered she had undergone a myomectomy years earlier. This crucial history was missed — and so was the abdominal scar during initial examinations. When a focused MRI was finally done, it revealed a focal accreta at the previous scar site.
Because we identified it late, the situation became extremely complex. We had to prepare uterine artery balloons and perform a focal resection of the placenta. It was a tough call, but the patient survived.
Lesson learned:
Always examine for scars — don’t assume there’s no history just because the patient says so.
Always dig deeper into past surgeries, even minor ones.
A single missed detail can flip a “routine” case into a high-risk obstetric emergency.
Practical Clinical Tips
Here’s a quick checklist to keep handy in your labour room:
Take a complete history — previous uterine surgeries, ART conceptions, retained placenta, manual removal, or PPH.
Inspect the abdomen — even subtle scars can guide your risk assessment.
Use imaging wisely — targeted ultrasounds and MRIs can help detect morbid adherence early.
Be prepared for hemorrhage — anticipate balloon tamponade, uterotonics, embolisation, or even hysterectomy if needed.
Document everything — record any retained placenta episodes for safer future pregnancies.
Train with mock drills — rehearsed teams manage emergencies better.
Key Takeaways
Retained placenta often stems from uterine atony or abnormal placentation — identify which applies to your patient early.
Never skip history-taking — an old scar can hold the key to preventing catastrophe.
Always anticipate and prepare for heavy bleeding when risk factors are present.
Preparation for the DNB in Obstetrics and Gynecology exam is not a cakewalk, we know. The vast syllabus, the rigorous clinical responsibilities, and the ever-present pressure to remain updated can at times become too much to handle.
That’s where Conceptual OBG comes to your aid — your best study companion for DNB OBG preparation.
In this blog, we will see how to prepare for your DNB OBG in the best possible way and how you can get the best out of Conceptual OBG so that you are well ahead of the others.
Understand What the DNB OBG Exam Demands:
The DNB OBG exam demands:
✅ Sound conceptual knowledge of theory as well as clinical practice ✅ Skill to apply the knowledge to patient care ✅ Facility with operative procedure ✅ Clarity in clinical decision-making ✅ In-depth knowledge of recent advances
It is not merely about mugging up facts — you have to think like a clinician and write like an academician.
Stepwise Preparation Strategy
1. Strong Concepts
Your basics need to be rock solid before you can master advanced subjects.
Watch Conceptual OBG’s video lectures and systematically learn each topic.
Learn directly from the best faculty who simplify even the most difficult topics into manageable bites.
Clinical relevance—this benefits both theory papers and the practical exam.
2. Planned Study Plan
With hectic hospital work, you require a focused study plan.
Conceptual OBG enables you to adhere to a systematic path, from completing the fundamental subjects to revision cycles.
It has pre-prepared notes and summary lectures so you can revise at speed.
3. Emphasise Clinical and Practical Aspects
A big majority of the DNB OBG examination checks the ability to relate theory to practice.
Conceptual OBG comprises case discussions, clinical pearls, and operative videos.
You are exposed to actual cases that make you deal with both practical and viva aspects of the exam.
4. Stay Updated
OBG keeps updating every year, and so does Conceptual OBG.
Conceptual OBG provides you with updates on guidelines, latest study material, and exam trends—all consolidated in one place.
It saves you hours of searching and brings you the latest study for your exam.
5. Practice Wisely
And last but not least, achievement comes from practising wisely:
Attempt MCQs and subject-wise tests that are provided on the Conceptual OBG app.
Try mock exams to boost your confidence and time management skills.
Access detailed answer explanations to learn from your errors.
What Conceptual OBG Offers?
Here’s what you receive when you learn with Conceptual OBG:
✨ Learn from the legend of OBG. ✨ In-depth Video Lectures — Theory + Clinical + Practical all covered. ✨ Conceptual Books — Even for difficult concepts, made easy for DNB/MD/MS OBG exams. ✨ Case-based Learning — Learn how to implement theory in practice. ✨ MCQ Banks & Tests — Practice wisely and assess your performance. ✨ Latest Guidelines — Updated material so that you can keep up with the latest exam trends. ✨ Revision Tools — Short notes, quick revision videos, and live sessions.
In a nutshell, Conceptual OBG is not merely a course; it is a 360 approach platform which will help you in becoming a DNB OBG exam topper.
Final Words
If you care about your DNB in OBG, treat yourself to the right materials. Conceptual OBG not only ensures that you cover the syllabus but also develops the confidence and clinical sense necessary to crack the exam with ease. Work smart. Be regular. Have faith in the process. Success is just around the corner.
As artificial intelligence transforms the face of medicine, one question resonates louder than the rest: Can AI replace a human specialist in obstetrics and gynecology? It’s an electrifying argument—machine learning algorithms versus years of clinical experience, pattern identification versus intuition, and automation versus expertise.
AI can be dazzling, but on the nuanced subtleties and everyday issues of OB-GYN practice, it’s still learning what many experts already have at their fingertips.
The Rise of AI: An Important Tool, Not a Substitute
Artificial intelligence has held great promise across the field of OB-GYN practice:
It interprets fetal heart tracings with high accuracy.
It handles intricate imaging—ultrasounds, MRIs, pathology slides—with machine-level precision.
It supports fertility planning and IVF decision-making with analytics.
But here’s the key: AI knows what it’s been taught. A specialist knows what they’ve lived.
What AI Lacks That OBG Experts Have in Abundance?
AI can scan thousands of images in seconds, but it cannot feel the weight of a mother’s worry or the urgency in a surgeon’s hands during an emergency cesarean.
An OBG specialist brings:
Clinical Instinct: Constructed from decades of observing not only typical cases, but the unusual, the atypical, the borderline.
Contextual Reasoning: AI parses data. A physician parses between the lines—past abuse, psychosocial considerations, cultural subtleties.
Dynamic Decision-Making: In critical real-time situations, where milliseconds are crucial, experience beats code.
Empathy and Trust: A machine can provide a plan. A physician explains it to a patient with reassurance and compassion.
Let’s not forget: the vast majority of AI systems in OB-GYN were trained on data that was created, labelled, and verified by these very experts. AI is standing on their shoulders.
Why Human Intelligence Still Leads?
In the field of obstetrics and gynecology, the stakes are frequently high. It’s not merely a matter of diagnosis—it’s about bringing new life into the world, navigating delicate procedures, counselling through loss, and making judgment calls where protocols fail.
Consider radiological reading in OB-GYN, for example. AI can identify measurements and anomalies, but a qualified radiologist or OBG specialist reads stories behind those shadows—a miscarriage that was missed, a molar pregnancy, an anomaly. And they frequently catch what AI does not—because of rich experiential learning, one that has yet to be duplicated by any machine.
Conclusion:
In the end, we can conclude that no doubt AI is a powerful, precise and promising tool, but it’s a tool. It can support and help in the decision making, but it can not replace the depth of human judgment, the sense and expert experience. When it is put in the skilled hands of an OBG specialist, AI is more than mere code—it is a partner. It’s not man against machine; it’s how the two can complement each other to provide smarter, safer, and more empathetic care.
Entering your first year of obstetrics and gynecology residencycan be exciting and daunting. The pace is quick, the duties are serious, and the learning curve is steep. But by having the correct attitude and approach, you can not only survive but flourish through this essential period of your medical career.
In the initial months, concentrate on solidifying your fundamental knowledge of obstetrics and gynecology. Whether it is labor and delivery management, dealing with emergency conditions, or knowing surgical anatomy, getting the basics down is going to work in your favour during your entire residency.
Spend time on quality reading. Select the top book in gynecology and obstetrics to establish your base. Your reference books shall be your closest friends—utilize them accordingly.
2. Time Management is Your Superpower
Obgyn residency life is usually hectic, with on-calls, rounds, and emergencies filling your day (and night). Getting good at time management will be your rescue from burnout. Get your priorities straight, and do not hesitate to seek assistance when necessary.
Use digital organisers or even low-tech checklists to monitor your responsibilities, deadlines, and study time.
3. Be Curious—Ask and Learn
The most beneficial thing you can do during your first year is ask questions. You don’t have to know it all. Seniors and advisers value curiosity, as long as it’s sincere and supported by effort.
This is your opportunity to learn from seasoned professionals at some of the top-ranked obg residency programs.
4. Hands-On Skills: Practice, Practice, Practice
From delivering babies to helping out in surgery, hands-on skills are the foundation of OB-GYN residency. Each scrub-in is a learning opportunity. Take initiative in the OT and labour room. Even watching can be incredibly educational in the early months.
Begin small—suturing, assisting, learning instrument sets—and hone your skills.
5. Select the Right Study Material
Study material is very important. Not all resources available in the market are reliable. Select carefully and follow the basics in your first year.
Conceptual OBG is the best platform for OB-GYN residency, with the help of this, you can streamline your preparation and eliminate confusion due to conflicting sources.
6. Maintain Your Wits Under Pressure
Labour wards can become intense, and emergencies don’t make announcements. Panic won’t save the day. Practice your mind to remain calm, speak clearly, and think through protocols under stressful circumstances.
The more you know about typical emergencies, the more at ease you’ll be.
7. Develop a Support System
Residency is draining. Find your tribe—your friends, co-residents, mentors—who get it. Talk, vent, laugh, cry. This support network is key to surviving and remaining mentally well.
8. Self-Care Isn’t Optional
Yes, there’s hardly any time, but skipping meals, sleep, or even brief breaks will impact your performance. A healthy body and mind are necessary for clinical decision-making. Don’t neglect your health.
9. Learn from Mistakes
You will mess up—and that is all right. It is what you do about it that counts. Think, learn, and recover stronger. Errors are among the best learning tools available to you during your obstetrics and gynecology residency.
10. Hold the Bigger Picture in Mind
It’s simple to lose yourself in the routine. But keep in mind why you embarked on this journey. You’re becoming an expert in the health of women. Every late night, every difficult shift, every trying choice is making you a caring, competent.
Final Thoughts
Your obstetrics and gynecology residency program is a transformative experience. The first year is about building resilience, gaining confidence, and mastering the basics. Surround yourself with good mentors, use the best book for ob-gyn residency to guide your studies, and take care of yourself both professionally and personally.
In the end, you’ll not just survive—you’ll grow into the doctor you’ve always aspired to be.
OBG residency is perhaps one of the toughest but most gratifying residencies in the medical line. With long labor room hours, high-stress surgical cases, and the need to juggle clinic with academics, mistakes are certain. But if you know and avoid common mistakes, residency becomes easier and more efficient. Below are five errors that many OBG residentscommit and how you can avoid them
1. Not Prioritizing Time in the OT and Labor Room
Most residents spend too much time on ward work and paperwork, depriving themselves of important hands-on experience.
Paperwork is important, but surgical expertise and handling labor cases are what really make an OBG specialist.
2. Ignoring Basics of Fetal Monitoring and CTG Interpretation
Many residents find it difficult to interpret Cardiotocography (CTG) and tend to overdepend on seniors.
Misinterpretation of a CTG can have severe repercussions, and therefore, proficiency in fetal monitoring should be achieved right from the beginning.
3. Failure to Maintain Theory Accompanying Clinical Practice
Residency is tiring, but neglecting theory will make it worse. Most residents delay reading textbooks or guidelines until examination time, and then there is panic at the last minute.
Regular updating of clinical cases and guidelines can be a lifesaver.
4. Neglecting Communication Skills with Patients and Relatives
Dealing with anxious patients and families is an art.
A few residents concentrate exclusively on medical management and are unable to break bad news or describe complications, and this results in patient dissatisfaction and even medico-legal concerns.
5. Not Seeking Assistance When Required
Attempting to do it all by yourself is often the biggest error. Whether a hard labor, controlling a PPH, or a complications situation, not knowing when to call for assistance can prove disastrous.
Residency is learning, and nobody expects you to be an expert from day one.
Conclusion:
Residency is a learning curve, and there are mistakes that come with it. But being cognizant of these common mistakes can aid you in your training so you can learn what you need to learn while balancing work and life. Learn from the people who preceded you, ask for advice when necessary, and take full advantage of this stage of your medical career.
One of the most frequent questions asked by obstetrics and gynecology residents, especially those who are beginning their residency, or even later in life, is, “How do I study when I don’t have time to study?”
Once you start your obstetrics and gynecology residency, your daily schedule is full of hospital work, taking care of patients, paperwork, and innumerable case documents. By evening, fatigue catches up, leaving minimal time for focused study sessions. Unlike your days as an undergraduate or an intern, with a dedicated study space, obstetrics and gynecology residency is a completely different game.
Converting Day-to-Day Experiences into Learning Experiences
The secret to successful studying throughout your OBG residency is incorporating learning into your daily hospital activities. Every second in the hospital is a chance to learn.
Here’s how:
1. Learning in the Wards
Whether you are posted in the antenatal, postnatal, or general gynae ward, each case you attend is a learning experience. Writing a case sheet? That’s learning. Seeing a patient with preeclampsia? Learning from their treatment chart is more than reading about it. Work with patient files proactively, challenge the rationale behind management plans, and discuss cases with seniors.
2. Maximizing Labor Room Postings
Your obstetrics gynecology residency will see you get long exposure to labor rooms. At least six months of labor room posting is mandated by the National Medical Commission (NMC) during yourOBS-GYN residency, here’s where you get that rich hands-on training.
If your hospital arranges these postings uninterruptedly or in phases (two months at a time as a first-year, second-year, and senior resident), ensure you maximize this time. The labor ward is where you will hone your skills in performing deliveries, handling obstetric emergencies, and taking rapid clinical decisions.
3. Maximizing OPD Postings
You may not be given outpatient departments (OPDs) independently at first, but sharing it with senior residents and consultants is a great learning experience in learning patient interaction, history-taking, and examination skills.
Skills to learn in OPD postings are:
Good patient communication
Conducting speculum and vaginal examinations
Taking Pap smears
Grasping treatment and diagnostic guidelines
4. Observing and Learning in the OT
Your exposure in the obstetrics and gynecology residency program also takes place in the operation theatre (OT), where you learn surgery, instrument handling, and learn about sterilization procedures. Though you may not comprehend the steps of surgery properly at first, pay attention to:
Recognizing instruments utilized during various procedures
Learning incision procedures and suture techniques
Grasping intraoperative management of patients
5. Learning Beyond Docs – Teamwork is Key
Knowledge in your obg residency goes beyond what teaching faculty impart. Nurses, ward staff, and even general duty assistants (GDAs) are potential sources of practical knowledge beyond textbooks. Have an open mind, ask, and learn from all those people around you.
Maximizing Limited Study Time
As study time is limited, here are some tips of practical use:
Utilize small breaks productively: Catch up on the cases you encountered during brief breaks or after your shift.
Technology-based learning: Subscribe to respected medical websites and utilize mobile applications for brief revision of topics.
Peer discussion: Discussing and sharing cases among peers reinforces learning.
High-yield topics of importance: Revisit important clinical conditions and protocols for emergency handling.
As opposed to undergraduate learning, residency in obstetrics and gynecology is more a matter of learning by doing. Although you do not necessarily have uninterrupted study time, every encounter with the patient, each procedure, and each clinical judgment counts as an opportunity to learn. Remain attentive, be assertive, and make every minute count in OBS-GYN residency board preparations.
Conceptual OBG is dedicated to delivering quality Obstetric and gynecology education that can equip OBG practitioners with improved skills. Our free training videos are just a glimpse of the complete learning process on our website Conceptual OBG. Today, we are going to explore one of our free training video for the Vulsellum Forceps, which is an important instrument in gynecology.
Vulsellum Forceps: An Essential Tool in Gynecology
This training session teaches you everything you want to know about the Vulsellum Forceps, from its composition to its several uses.
Important Points from the Video:
Knowing the Instrument:
The Vulsellum Forceps comprises finger bows, a ratchet lock, and blades with several teeth on the tip for secure tissue gripping.
Main Uses:
The forceps are mainly employed to hold the cervix in gynecological interventions.
It assists in cervical biopsy, where physicians can perform tissue sampling for testing.
Assists in endometrial biopsy, enabling uterine lining sampling.
Supports polypectomy, enabling the removal of cervical polyps.
Necessary for intrauterine devices (IUD) insertion and hysterosalpingography (HSG) procedures.
Applied in vaginal hysterectomy to improve cervical manipulation.
Involved in myomectomy, ensuring a firm hold while removing fibroids.
Why is the Vulsellum Forceps Curved?
Curvature provides improved observation of the cervix during the procedure.
It increases the ergonomic grasping of the instrument, enhancing the ease of use by surgeons.
Proper Technique of Handling:
In contrast to most surgical instruments grasped by the thumb and ring finger, the Vulsellum Forceps is gripped by the thumb and index finger for added control and precision.
Proper positioning guarantees the best use in gynecologic procedures.
Grow Your Knowledge with More Free Training Videos
This is just a glimpse of the wealth of learning material on our site. As a student, resident, or practising surgeon, our carefully selected sessions will assist you in improving your knowledge and surgical skills.
Want to learn more? Sign up for Conceptual Surgery today and unlock a vast library of surgical training videos on a variety of subjects.
Stay ahead on your journey of surgery—because knowledge makes all the difference.
One of the most fulfilling and dynamic careers in the medical field is Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBG). An OBG resident manages everything from pregnancy and childbirth to gynecological surgeries and reproductive health at the forefront of women’s health. The MS/DNB Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency program aims to develop highly skilled, compassionate, and knowledgeable OBG specialists in maternal and reproductive care.
If you’re considering a career in Obstetrics and Gynecology residency, here’s why it’s one of the most rewarding and challenging fields in medicine.
1. A Perfect Blend of Medicine and Surgery
An OBG residency offers the greatest benefit in combining medical and surgical training. It is a field that does not confine the specializations of either clinical medicine or surgical procedures, but instead provides a person with expertise in both aspects.
You will diagnose and manage medical conditions such as PCOS, infertility, and menopause.
You will perform complex surgeries, including cesarean sections, hysterectomies, and laparoscopic gynecological procedures.
You will acquire special expertise in the care of high-risk pregnancy, fetal medicine, and ART.
There is no greater privilege than helping a mother safely deliver her baby. Obstetrics gynecology residents experience the joy and responsibility of childbirth daily.
You will witness the miracle of birth firsthand and ensure the safety of both mother and baby.
You will manage high-risk pregnancies and make life-saving decisions in critical moments.
You’ll play a role in maternal and fetal health for generations to come.
If you want a speciality that is super emotionally rewarding and fulfilling, an Obstetrics and Gynecology residency is for you!
3. A Career Empowering Women’s Health
You will be a counsellor for women’s healthcare for their entire lifespan through an OBG residency program.
You will diagnose and treat reproductive health conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids, and ovarian cysts.
You will be part of family planning, contraception counseling, and fertility treatments.
You will administer life-saving screenings and preventive care, including PAP smears and HPV vaccinations.
As an Obstetrics Gynecology resident, you are not just a doctor, you are an educator, counsellor, and leader in women’s health.
The field of Obstetrics and Gynecology is constantly advancing, with newer developments in the fields of minimally invasive surgery, reproductive medicine, and maternal-fetal care.
Learn advanced surgical techniques, including robotic and laparoscopic gynecologic surgeries.
Get exposure to fertility preservation, IVF, and genetic counseling.
Be part of groundbreaking research in maternal-fetal medicine and gynecologic oncology.
5. High Demand & Excellent Career Opportunities
Demand for Obstetrics and Gynecology specialists has been at a very high rate. It means the career choice will be pretty profitable.
Obstetricians and gynecologists are in demand by hospitals, private clinics, fertility centres, and rural settings for healthcare services.
Specialize in any of these subspecialties such as gynecologic oncology, urogynecology, or maternal-fetal medicine.
Experience will eventually take you to having a flourishing private practice or as a medical educator.
An OBG residency offers a wide variety of career paths, ensuring job security and professional growth.
6. Global Impact: Work Anywhere in the World
As an OBG specialist, you are not limited by location. There is a global need for maternal health experts, and your expertise will be valued worldwide.
Work in rural and underserved areas where maternal healthcare is critically needed.
Develop a career in academic medicine, public health, and medical policy to mold the future of women’s healthcare.
The OBGYN residency gives you global mobility to make a difference anywhere you are.
Conclusion: Is an OBS-GYN Residency Right for You?
Choosing a career in Obstetrics and Gynecology residency means embracing a profession filled with life-changing moments, challenges, and opportunities.
Do you have a passion for women’s health? Do you love medicine and surgery alike? If you are ready to make an indelible mark on that, then the OBG residency is for you!
So, natural sources of iron are divided into three, one is the best ones come under good sources and the ones that come under very poor sources, are basically useless sources. So, when I say the best sources, it includes meat, meat can be from any source, it can be from any animal, apart from that fish, apart from that you are also going to have egg yolk and finally a bit of vegetarian, a little bit of beans. Good sources include leafy vegetables, I have cereals, I have ragi, I also have dates and for poor sources, I have milk-based products.
Now, you would ask me the dates. The problem is dates, which is date is very expensive, so not all women, especially in our country where women come from low socioeconomic status, not all women can afford that So, let us think about one question that you are going to be asked in your exam and that question happens to be jaggery.
A lot of examiners love asking this question why don’t you tell Jaggery? Jaggery was a very good source of iron, especially in our country where jaggery is fortified with iron. I will never mention, I will never mention neither to my patients nor to my examiners jaggery as an answer for a good source of iron. The reason is the amount of jaggery that is required to be consumed, to be able to provide with that adequate required amount of iron per day during pregnancy or even in a non-pregnant state is too high.
If you are consuming that much of an amount of jaggery, especially during pregnancy when there is going to be insulin resistance in the second and third trimester, physiological insulin resistance, you are giving rise to that female having gestational diabetes mellitus. So in one comorbidity, you are giving her another much more dangerous comorbidity, which is why jaggery can never be the answer. One possible answer is cooking with iron utensils, but you also need to remember that in India, iron utensils which are used, leave aside India, if you use it anywhere, can be oxides, ferrous oxide, and ferric oxide, all these can become compounds which can be even toxic to people, which is why I would want to prefer not using just iron utensils and cooking in iron utensils, especially in India I said because the iron utensils that are available in India, they are not purely iron, they also contain other metals and those other metals are added to it to be able to sustain that temperature, high temperatures.
So the toxic radicals that can be formed because of heating food in it can be deleterious, they can be very bad, detrimental for a female or any human health, which is why cooking in iron utensils is a good way to know, but given the fact that the government gives us iron and folic acids for free, tablets for free, I wouldn’t want to risk that female towards the development of the toxicity by that. Fine. So you would ask me, okay, what if it’s a female who is having a mixed diet, she’s eating good enough amounts of non-vegetarian diet, and I can just supplement her with a lot of non-vegetarian diets?
Remember, a non-vegetarian diet can also lead to hyper triglyceridemia, basically dyslipidemia, and to also make it palatable, there are a lot of other spices, oils, and a lot of products that are added to it, which though it can be made palatable, it can be again deleterious from a dyslipidemia point of view. You would ask me to increase the good sources, but then how much can a female have beefy vegetables, how many cereals can she have, and the other side effects, amino acid deficiencies that come with it, they cannot be supplemented, which is why increasing the natural sources of iron as a way to supplement iron is not a great way. Still, if you tell me that I have managed it somehow, I have made a good enough diet chart for this female, and I believe that should be adequate for her to be able to supplement her daily needs.
Let us understand why even that is not the best way ahead. The reason is that even if I eat the best combination of all of these, my daily consumption that is going to happen, my daily diet that is going to come, this daily diet will still just contain around 10-20 mg of elemental iron. We speak of iron in terms of how much elemental iron is.
So elemental iron is only going to contain 10-20 mg. 10-20 mg, what is the daily recommended allowance in pregnancy? The daily recommended allowance in pregnancy happens to be 6-7 mg of elemental iron per day. So you would say that here you are getting 10-20%, which is an excellent thing, but you need to understand that when you are giving it through the oral route, not all is going to be absorbed, a lot of it is going to be wasted.
A lot, 90% is wasted and only 10% is absorbed. So when I say 10%, it is only 1-2 mg of elemental iron that is going to be absorbed. And 1-2 mg is too low in comparison to the recommended daily allowance in pregnancy and lactation states.
Which is also why Anemia Mukta Bharat, which is a program that is formulated by the government for the correction of anemia in adolescents and reproductive age women and pregnant and lactating women, is basically a program that has been more focused on women and children and adolescents to reduce the rates of anemia in our country. The tablets that they provide for free, those tablets which come in two forms, a red tablet and a blue tablet, both of them contain 60 mg of elemental iron. Because they understand that when 60 mg is absorbed in 10%, then 6 mg is absorbed.
And if 6 mg is absorbed, that is going to be adequate for me in terms of my recommended daily allowance and hence the pregnancy demand is going to be sufficed. This is a very easy way to remember, earlier the older guidelines said that 100 mg of elemental iron should be given but no, the current guidelines say that 60 mg of elemental iron is sufficient enough for a female to be able to maintain her hemoglobin at the normal level. This is why 60 mg of elemental iron is present in both these capsules, red and blue.
You would ask me why do we have to make two different capsules, both have 60 mg of elemental iron with 500 microgram of folic acid. What is the difference? Why do I have two different tablets? I could have just made it red. Because red is for reproductive-age women pregnant women and lactating women, whereas blue is for adolescents.
You would still say, why should I not give it to adolescents? It is because there can be a social stigma that my daughter who is a 16-year-old in especially tribal and village areas, they would say that a female who is pregnant in the village is also taking a red capsule and a girl who is an adolescent 16-year-old, she is also getting the same capsule of red colour. That stigma might make them think that that adolescent girl is getting an overdose because she is not pregnant and say that they may not end up giving birth. Plus red color justifies menstruation, pregnancy, and lactating states, which is why this has been kept as a stigma to prevent it.
And so that adolescents do not end up thinking that I am being given a woman’s thing for They do not know the doses inside that. They just know that I have to take this pill. This is why blue capsule is given to adolescents.
It is given once a week, by the way, we will be talking about this later, but still once a week, whereas the red capsule, reproductive age, which is given to all three, is given once per day in a normal female and twice per day in a female who already has iron deficiency anemia. So that is the logic behind Anemia Mukta Bharat’s 60 mg elemental iron with 500 mg polyacetamide. But this is the logic behind why we give supplements of iron.
We give it in the form of tablets, we give it in the form of capsules and why we do not rely purely on the basis of just diet.
