A mother lifts her infant son to press their foreheads together.

OB-GYN

Obstetrics and gynecology care for women

From running after our kids to running to our next meeting, our bodies are strong enough to take on anything life throws at us. Staying healthy isn’t just so we can do it all – it’s so we can enjoy it all. Whether you need an annual visit, want to get started on birth control or have questions about family planning, we’re here with the expert care you deserve.

HealthPartners and Park Nicollet has the largest team of board-certified OB-GYNs in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. You’ll find doctors from diverse backgrounds and with a wide range of practice styles at more than 20 locations. That way, it’s easy to find an OB-GYN who is right for you and close to home. We can help you with preventive exams, screenings, immunizations, illnesses and more.

Care and treatment we offer

From birth control, to family planning, to heavy periods and menopause – our OB-GYNs are here to answer your questions and help you stay healthy. Some of the more common things we can help you with include:

Prenatal care, pregnancy and childbirth

Our OB-GYNs offer support for your growing family, from before the first pregnancy test to delivery and on into motherhood. When you choose an OB-GYN for pregnancy care, you’ll find convenient access to prenatal care at over 20 locations and state-of-the-art birth centers at Regions Hospital and Methodist Hospital. Working closely with midwives and doulas, we support a variety of birthing options, including vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC).

Birth control

We offer a full range of birth control options – from birth control pills to IUDs – including permanent contraception, emergency contraception and pre-conception counseling.

Well visits and preventive care

Also called annual exams, we start with routine checks of your height, weight and blood pressure. These appointments may also include Pap tests and breast exams, when needed. Your annual exam will adapt to meet your changing needs over time, from helping you understand your birth control options to answering questions about your period or the symptoms of menopause. Your annual exam can also include additional services such as sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening, vaccines and mammograms.

Mammograms

Mammograms are an important screening test in the early detection of breast cancer. Caught early, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer is 100%. Talk with your OB-GYN about when you should get your regular mammogram, and rest easier, knowing most women find that mammograms are more comfortable than what they thought. At many locations, we offer mammograms within the same appointment as your annual exam for added convenience. We offer mammograms within the same appointment as your annual exam for convenience at many locations. When you make your appointment, just mention that you would like a mammogram too.

Reproductive counseling and fertility care

Wanting to start a family is one of the most important and exciting decisions you can make. But about one in ten women have difficulty getting pregnant. If you’ve been trying to get pregnant for 12 months or more without success, you might have a fertility condition. If you struggle to conceive, know that medical options are often available.

We can assist with counseling and treatment options related to female fertility. Various tests are available, including lab screenings, fertility tests and ultrasounds. The results of these tests will help us recommend the best treatment options for your unique needs. We have many clinicians who may offer intrauterine insemination, or we can connect you with reproductive specialists who offer advanced treatment options including in vitro fertilization (IVF). Lifestyle changes like monitoring your cycle, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing the amount of alcohol you drink and quitting smoking may improve your chances of getting pregnant.

If you’re concerned that your partner might have male fertility issues, our sexual medicine specialists can help with that.

Reproductive counseling

We can assist with counseling and treatment options, from planning to have a baby to concerns about infertility. We can connect you with fertility specialists and others who offer advanced treatment options, like intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Painful or heavy periods

OB-GYNs or gynecologists can diagnose and treat period pain and heavy periods. While some cramping at the start of your period is normal, we can help you if period pain is interfering with your daily activities and doesn’t feel better with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication. We can also help you with heavy periods by diagnosing the cause of heavier bleeding and working together to outline a treatment plan that works for you.

Incontinence

Our OB-GYNs can help diagnose bladder control issues and pelvic floor disorders. We can evaluate your symptoms and connect you with one of our urogynecologists, if necessary.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Our OB-GYNs and gynecologists offer confidential screening and treatment for STIs like chlamydia, herpes, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, HPV, HIV or other infections.

Gynecologic surgery

Gynecologic surgery options include office-based procedures like ThermaChoice and Novasure for treating heavy periods, as well as da Vinci surgery with robotic technology for pelvic organ prolapse, endometriosis resection and hysterectomies. We also offer vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) – an advanced minimally invasive procedure – for hysterectomies and other gynecologic procedures.

Perimenopause and menopause

We guide women through perimenopause and menopause, treating symptoms with a range of effective therapies such as hormone therapy, vaginal estrogen and low-dose antidepressants.

No matter what you turn to us for, our OB-GYNs are here to help you find answers and work with you to create a personalized treatment plan.

Other services we offer

  • Pregnancy tests
  • Pap tests
  • Pelvic exams
  • Breast exams
  • Ultrasounds
  • Treatment for vaginal dryness and discomfort
  • Treatment for painful intercourse

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)